Leonardo da Vinci is most famous for his paintings, like the Mona Lisa, but did you know he also designed instruments? A new exhibit in New York called "Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop" brings to life many of the artist's designs, some of them for the first time ever.

Leonardo da Vinci was a genius who had innumerable talents.

He was a scientist, mathematician, engineer, anatomist, painter, botanist, inventor, and musician.

An exhibition in New York is now showcasing reconstructions of da Vinci's designs, many previously unknown to the public.

Born in 1452 in Florence, Italy, Leonardo da Vinci was ahead-of-his-time in many ways.

His technological inventions include flight machines, helicopters, and a calculator.

But many of his designs were not feasible during his lifetime.

The people behind "Leonardo 3" enjoyed bringing da Vinci's designs back to life.

One of their greatest challenges was this instrument: a harpsichord-viola, the first-ever functional one.

The harpsichord-viola combines a harpsichord keyboard with the sound of a viola.

Massimiliano Lisa, president of Leonardo 3, said, "Most, many of his machines, for example the flight machine, they do not work or other machines were just toys to impress people. This is very important because this is a musical instrument. Leonardo created from scratch a new musical instrument and what makes it really important is that this musical instrument really works."

The instrument can play chords, like a piano, which didn't exist in Leonardo's time.

"Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop" runs at New York's Discovery Times Square Exposition through to March 2010.