Museo del Violino

Cremona's Violin Museum brings together historic instruments and the material evidence of violin making. Housed in Palazzo dell'Arte, it connects the work of the Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari families with the development of the craft into modern times.

Why it matters

The museum preserves both finished instruments and the tools and working methods behind them. This combination presents violin making as a continuing relationship between artistic judgement, skilled labour and sound, rather than simply a collection of celebrated objects.

What to notice

Historic instruments form the focus of the treasure room and Friends of Stradivari displays. More than 700 drawings, forms and tools associated with Stradivari's workshop provide a contrasting view of the making process. Modern competition-winning instruments extend the story beyond the classical Cremonese school. The Giovanni Arvedi Auditorium gives musical performance an architectural place within the institution.

Context and history

Carlo Cocchia designed Palazzo dell'Arte in 1941; construction continued through the war into 1946. The building later accommodated several cultural uses, including violin-making education. Its restoration for the museum and auditorium brought together collections previously divided among different locations.