Steel Drums in New York, 1977 | From the Vaults

Every year on Labor Day weekend, the spirit of Carnival comes to New York City for West Indian American Day. Unfortunately, the annual parade is cancelled this year, but you can learn more about the steel drum’s fascinating global history, from its origins in Trinidad and Tobago to its status as one of the world’s most popular musical instruments, in this thought-provoking hour-long film. Musicians such as Ellie Mannette and Pete Seeger talk shop and explain what they love about this extraordinary instrument.

As part of The Met’s 150th anniversary in 2020, each month we will release three to four films from the Museum’s extensive moving-image archive, which comprises over 1,500 films, both made and collected by the Museum, from the 1920s onward. This includes rarely seen artist profiles and documentaries, as well as process films about art-making techniques and behind-the-scenes footage of the Museum.

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