“Housed at San Jose State University, the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies is the only research collection in North America devoted exclusively to Beethoven. The center, which opened its doors in 1985, includes books and manuscripts, rare early editions of Beethoven’s works and, on long-term loan, two fragments of his skull. Its most famous artifact is undoubtedly the lock of Beethoven’s wild hair, which Mr. Brilliant and three colleagues acquired in 1994.”