Ragtime: Cakewalk in Pianoland

This exhibition introduces a new generation of visitors to ragtime—one of the first truly global popular music styles. Tracing the genre’s evolution from its roots in West African rhythms and European musical traditions to its pivotal role in the emergence of jazz, the exhibition explores ragtime’s vibrant cultural legacy. Through seven thematic sections, it examines the music’s historical foundations, its rise to mainstream popularity, and its crossover into Broadway, film, and popular culture, offering a rich and comprehensive portrait of ragtime’s enduring dynamism and influence.