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The Percussion section of an orchestra was at the beginning by the Timpani, but step by step the composers added new instruments to the section, such as: Bass Drum, Cymbals, Tambourine, Snare Drum, Triangle, etc. Nowadays, there are a big list of instruments which can be played in the section.
The Percussion section is divided into the Tuned Percussion, consisting of instruments which can be pitched; and Auxiliary Percussion, consisting of all the unpitched instruments. It can also be divided depending on the methods of sound production. This division split the instruments into: Idiophones, which produce sounds through the vibration of their entire body; Membranophones, which produce the sound when the membrane is struck with a hand, mallet, etc.; Chordophones, which are usually defined as String instruments; and Aerophones, which also are usually defined as a Wind instruments.
They produce the vibrations by being struck by a mallet, struck or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument.