Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

Near Piazza di Spagna stands the historical Accademia di Santa Cecilia, one of the oldest musical institutions in the world, founded in 1585 with the papal seal Ratione congruit of Pope Sixtus V.

Initially born as a congregation for artistic and charitable purposes, it has acquired international prestige over the centuries. It has an academic body consisting of 70 effective and 30 honorary members, including the most important Italian and foreign musicians, a worldwide known orchestra and a symphonic choir, and a youth orchestra.

The intense concert activity, with over 250 annual events and world-renowned performers, is accompanied by the promotion of culture and musical heritage and a high-level educational tradition with master classes held by the best soloists.

Since 2003, the artistic, administrative and museum structure has been housed at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, designed by architect Renzo Piano.

Its patrimony includes a valuable library, which collects editions, manuscripts, archives, librettos, rare scores and publications, and the MUSA, the Museum of Musical Instruments, inaugurated in 2008. The latter has one of the main Italian collections with more than five hundred pieces among instruments, objects and relics that document the different musical cultures of Europe, Asia and Africa.