Colón Theatre Museum

Pasaje Arturo Toscanini 1168 (at the height of Viamonte 1100)
Tel. 4382-6632 / 4325-1870
Open from Mondays through Fridays during performances

This museum was created upon the initiative of the musicologist Ernesto de la Guardia, for the purpose of perpetuating the memory of great artists, composers, directors and scenographers, in addition to keeping a record of historical events and valuable documentation. It was inaugurated on July 14, 1939, in the Theater's main hall Different showcases exhibit costumes and accessories worn by María Barrientos, Titta Ruffo, Felipe Romito, Isabel Marengo, Víctor Damiani and Michael Renault. Also exhibited are the batons that belonged to Toscanini, Manuel de Falla and Héctor Panizza; Puccini's walking stick; programs, billboard posters and photographs of Lily Pons, Tito Schipa, Enrico Caruso, María Ruanova, Claudia Muzio and famous musical scores. Argentine musicians such as Alberto Williams, Héctor Panizza, Pascual de Regatis and Felipe Boero are also evoked.
In 1949, the Colón Theatre received in custody the collection of ancient instruments of the Isaac Fernández Blanco Museum, considered the most important and valuable collection in the country consisting, amongst others, of two violas da gamba, a viola organistrum, a guitar a lute, a mandolin, a "pochette ", a thiorbo, several flutes and batons, a clarinet, forty sundry bows, and a small "lutherie" section with all its tools. Famous names appear on the instruments, such as Stradivarius, Ruggieri, Grancino, Amati, Gobetti and Goffriller.