Berklee College of Music is creating a public online library to preserve the sounds of Indigenous instruments. The library includes clips of instruments such as the Persian tar, the Peruvian quena and various flutes. Some instruments, like the Native American White Cedar Flute, are close to extinction.

The Berklee Intersectional Soundbox Archive is the brainchild of assistant professor Jimmy Lim. Lim told WBUR’s Simón Rios the project is personal to him as someone who grew up appreciating a rich city soundscape in his native Indonesia.

Lim wants people to hear sounds they’ve never heard before. He also wants to help preserve traditional music, as well as stories, that are at risk of being lost over time.

This segment aired on January 20, 2026.