Museo Teatrale alla Scala

[[Image:XIX century print, Piazza della Scala, Milano.jpg|thumb|200px|A nineteenth-century depiction of the opera house in the [[Piazza della Scala]]]] The '''Museo Teatrale alla Scala''' is a theatrical museum and library attached to the [[Teatro alla Scala]] in [[Milan]], Italy. Although it has a particular focus on the history of [[opera]] and of that [[opera house]], its scope extends to Italian theatrical history in general, and includes displays relating, for example, to the ''[[commedia dell'arte]]'' and to the famous stage actress [[Eleonora Duse]]. 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 design]]s, [[autograph score]]s, and musical instruments of historical interest as well as paintings of musicians and actors, and a range of related paraphernalia including precious ceramic figures portraying characters from the commedia dell'arte, and [[board game]]s which used to be played in the theatre's foyer. The '''Biblioteca Livia Simoni''', the museum's library, is situated in the [[Palazzo Busca]] on Corso Magenta. It was formed in 1952 with 40,000 volumes donated by author and ''[[Corriere della Sera]]'' critic [[Renato Simoni]]; it is named in honour of his mother. Today it holds some 140,000 works related to theatre history, opera and ballet including [[libretto]]s, periodicals and the correspondence of musicians, actors and dancers, as well as books. ==External links== {{commonscat-inline|Museo del Teatro alla Scala in Milan}} *[http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/museoscala/museoscala.html Official website] {{en}} {{coord missing|Italy}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Museo Teatrale Alla Scala}}