Museums almost never let you sit down inside the artwork, and this is a room built entirely so you can: Turnbull's hand-assembled horn system, plywood cabinets and all, set up in the Carnegie Mansion's first floor for actual listening rather than looking. He builds under the name OJAS and the whole ethos is that hi-fi should feel textured and emotional rather than clinical. It closes with Art of Noise this weekend, so this is the last chance to hear the room the way it was tuned.
What to expect
A quiet, low-lit room with seating facing a large handmade speaker system, part of the Art of Noise ticket. Sessions curated by outside collectors and musicians run through the exhibition, so what plays depends on when you walk in.
Good to know
- It sits on the first floor, so you hit it before climbing to the rest of Art of Noise
- This is a sit-and-stay room, not a walk-through, so allow real time in it
- 4, 5 or 6 to 86th Street is the closest subway to the Carnegie Mansion
- Closing weekends fill this room fastest of anything in the building
- It is included with the same admission as Art of Noise, not a separate ticket
- Check the museum's program listings to see whether a curated session is running
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Common questions
Can visitors actually sit and listen?
Yes. The installation is built as a listening room with seating, not a vitrine display.
Who is Devon Turnbull?
A multi-disciplinary artist who handcrafts high-fidelity audio systems under the name OJAS.
Does it cost extra on top of Art of Noise?
No. It is part of Art of Noise and covered by the same museum admission.
More this weekend
