La Scala Theatrical Museum

The extraordinary history of La Scala Theatre, with its more than two centuries of legendary triumphs and sometimes epic downfalls, was created by men and women who were just as extraordinary. Composers, singers, orchestra conductors, ballerinas, librettists and impresarios have all spent within these walls some of the most important moments of their often adventurous, but always hard-working, committed and passionate lives. This Museum offers a tour through images and recollections of some of these unforgettable personalities.

The museum, which is adjacent to the opera house in the Piazza della Scala, was opened on 8 March 1913 and was based on a large private collection which had been purchased at auction two years earlier, with funds raised both from government and private sources. The displays include costumes, set designs, autograph scores, and musical instruments of historical interest as well as paintings of musicians and actors, and a range of related paraphernalia including…