A specialised collection dedicated to theatre and music, the museum was initially set up in 1924 by its namesake composer and until the early 1990s was located in the Verdi Opera House. Nowadays the museum is housed in the Palazzo Gopcevic, a colourful edefice of mixed styles (built in 1850 by Giovanni Berlam) on the Canal Grande. The collection includes two constituent parts: an exhibition covering the 19th and 20th centuries, with a large variety of theatrical costumes, posters, programs, musical instruments (including grand piano, harmonium) on display; and a documentation centre with a library (containing 100,000 pieces especially on music and entertainment) and internationally significant archives. The Gopcevic location was unveiled in 2006, and has an interior of beautiful inlaid floors and ornate ceilings, making it the perfect place to retreat to for a relaxing afternoon.