Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are working to bring ancient music back to life by recreating historical musical instruments that can be played and heard again.
The project aims to produce accurate replicas of instruments preserved in museum collections. By combining modern technology with historical research, scientists hope to reproduce how these instruments originally sounded while protecting fragile artifacts from damage.
Project begins with MIT–museum collaboration
The effort began in late 2024 when Benjamin Sabatini, a senior postdoctoral researcher at MIT, proposed a collaborative project to study rare musical instruments housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The research is conducted at the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology and the MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
Soon after, Sabatini connected with Mark Rau, an MIT professor of music technology and electrical engineering. The two researchers shared a strong interest in the study of historical instruments using scientific methods. They later approached Jared Katz, the Pappalardo Curator of Musical Instruments at the Museum of Fine Arts, to propose a joint research project.
Rau says museum visitors often see historical instruments but rarely hear them. “My biggest qualm is often there are no accompanying audio examples,” Rau said. “I want to hear these instruments; I want to play these instruments.”
The museum collection provides a rare opportunity
The Museum of Fine Arts became a key partner in the project because of its extensive collection. The museum began building its musical instrument collection in 1917. Today, it holds more than 1,450 instruments from six continents.
Some of the artifacts date back to about 1550 BCE. The wide range of instruments allows researchers to study musical traditions from different cultures and historical periods.
CT scans reveal hidden construction details
To examine the instruments without damaging them, researchers rely on advanced imaging technology. The team uses a CT scanner provided by Lumafield, a technology company founded by MIT alumni.
The scans capture detailed images of both the interior and exterior of the instruments. This allows scientists to study how the artifacts were built and how their internal structures influence sound.
What did ancient instruments really sound like?
MIT researchers are using CT scans, vibration testing, and 3D printing to recreate playable replicas of instruments dating back thousands of years. pic.twitter.com/8i7D8FDphA— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 9, 2026
Researchers also perform vibration and acoustic testing. In one method, scientists use a small impact hammer to apply a controlled force to the instrument. A laser Doppler vibrometer then measures how the instrument’s surface vibrates.
These measurements help researchers understand how sound travels through the instrument’s body. The data are used to create digital models that simulate how the instrument would sound when played.
Replicas produced through modern techniques
Using the data from scans and acoustic analysis, the team creates physical replicas of the instruments. Researchers first produce 3D-printed models, which can then be used to create molds or new instrument bodies.
One example is a replica of a Paracas whistle, a ceramic instrument from Peru dating between 600 and 175 BCE. The recreated whistle was demonstrated during the MITHIC Annual Event in November.
Researchers also plan to reproduce wooden instruments using old-growth wood. This work will be carried out with the help of local luthiers who specialize in building stringed instruments.
Project explores history through sound
For Sabatini, the project is not only about technology. It also offers insight into the cultures that created the instruments.
“[From our] perspective, we want to understand the people who made these instruments through both the materials that they’re made of, but also the sound that they have,” Sabatini said.
So far, the team has scanned about 30 instruments from the museum’s collection. Researchers hope to study at least 100 instruments during the project while documenting them for future research.
Students contribute to interdisciplinary research
Students are also involved in the work through MIT’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
Victoria Pham, a second-year student in materials science and engineering, studies the acoustics of a Veracruz poly-globular flute dating from 500 to 900 CE. She uses computational modeling to analyze how the instrument produces sound without altering the original artifact.
Another student, Alexander Mazurenko, who studies music and mathematics, joined the project last summer and continued working on it during MIT’s Independent Activities Period.
Replicas may expand public engagement
Katz says playable replicas could also help museums connect with audiences in new ways. “They’re both visually beautiful and striking objects, but they are meant to be heard,” Katz said.
By creating accurate replicas, researchers hope to preserve fragile artifacts while allowing people to experience the sounds these instruments were originally designed to produce.
