Milan
Antique musical instruments
The Museum of Musical Instruments, in the Castello Sforzesco, conserves approximately 650 pieces and a vast exotic grouping from outside of Europe. The Museum is concerned with the production of musical instruments from 1500 to 1800. The first section is dedicated to cord instruments, even though it includes antique 700s "spinettes" as well. Then there are the bow instruments with the standing viola and the "viole d'amore" (viola of love) (so named for the double number of cords that vibrate pleasantly), guitars, mandarins, prestigious 600s lutes from Cremona. Then there is a vast selection of wind instruments and the last section dedicated to popular music with examples of African and Asian instruments. Throughout the Museum are keyboard instruments that do not yet have a definitive location. Of special interest are the lutes represented by pieces from Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari and small pocket-sized violins called "pochettes", among which an example from the 500s.
Admission: free.
| Neighborhood: | Downtown |
| Address: | Piazza Castello |
| Milan, 20121 |
| Phone: | +39 02874546 |
| Hours: | 9.30am-5pm Tue-Sun |
| Nearest train: | MM1 Cairoli |