Traditional Tibetan musical instruments are preserved in a sound museum set up in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, August 18, 2019. (Xinhua)

"Listening to the sound of these instruments is like visiting an audible map of Tibetan-inhabited areas," said Du Dong, the museum's project manager.

CHENGDU, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A sound museum was set up Monday in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, to preserve the culture, in particular the music, of the Tibetan people.

Covering an area of only 180 square meters, the micromuseum is home to an array of traditional Tibetan musical instruments, audio and video materials of Tibetan music and precious music scores. It is the first sound museum in the Tibetan areas of Sichuan.

"To build this museum, we have invited top-notch artists nationwide. Listening to the sound of these instruments is like visiting an audible map of Tibetan-inhabited areas," said Du Dong, the museum's project manager.

In China, Tibetans mainly live in the Tibet Autonomous Region and parts of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan provinces.

The musical instruments including small bells usually hung in front of temples, dharma drums and ancient plucked instruments were made of materials such as brass and animal bones with delicate carvings.

Du said it was hard to witness traditional ancient musical scores, but they are still kept and used in many Tibetan monasteries.

"Through sound, the exhibits can help preserve the precious cultural memory of the Tibetans, and the Tibetan people travelling far away can hear the call of their homeland," Du said.