Museo del Violino, Cremona

The Museo del Violino (Piazza Marconi 5, Cremona; phone + 39 0372 801801, www.museodelviolino.org [in Italian]) opened Sept. 15, 2013, in the Italian city of Cremona, home of the famous luthier Antonio Stradivari.

The galleries show the origins of the violin, violin construction, drawings and violin-making tools. Priceless instruments from Stradivari and other Cremona luthiers are on display. There is as an audio guide in English. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sun. €10 (near $12.50).

The museum organizes performances on historical violins in its 450-seat auditorium, many during the Stradivari Festival from mid-September to mid-October.