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International museum and
library of music of Bologna

Library / Info and opening hours

More than 100.000 volumes, such as musical editions from 16th to 17th century, manuscripts, a collection of 12.000 “libretti d’opera”, a collection of autographs.
The International Museum and music library today has approximately 100,000 bibliographic units and is one of the first music libraries in the world. It preserves incunabula, manuscripts, autographs of musicians of all time (among all The Barbiere di Siviglia), the musical treatises of the most renowned theorists, one of the richest collections of secular vocal music of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, an extraordinary collection of over 11.000 opera libretti by sec. XVII on, 8.000 letters written largely consist of the correspondence that Father Martini held with personalities of the musical world of the time.
Several unica are exhibited in the museum rooms: the most famous De Musica Tractatus Bartolomé Ramos De Pareja (1482) with annotations of Gaffurio; Harmonice Musices Odhecaton A., first music press with movable Ottaviano Petrucci dating back to 1501; VI Book of Madrigals for 5 voices by Claudio Monteverdi 1614.
The ancient heritage adding newer funds acquired through private donations, as the Villa Feltrinelli with over 4000 volumes, the valuable series of autographs of Ottorino Respighi donated by his wife Elsa, the Ricci Signorini collection.

New Opening Hours

Tuesday 9.30 am>1.30 pm
Wednesday 9.30 am.>1.30 pm - 2.30 pm>4.30 pm
Thursday 9.30 am>1.30 pm - 2.30 pm>4.30 pm
Friday 9.30 am>1.30 pm

Closed

Mondays and public holidays
August 10th>26th
4th October (Patrons Saint day)
20th December 2024>6th January 2025

More info

WARNINGS

Visitors are asked to remember that inside the library:

Smoking is prohibited
It is forbidden to drink or eat 
The use of email and Internet is not allowed on the library computers
During the consultation of the material, the use of pens, markers, highlighters, etc. is prohibited
Library personnel will provide disposable gloves for the consultation of ancient material
The use of cell phones is not allowed in the reading and study rooms