Museo della Scala

The Museo Teatrale alla Scala was established in Milan thanks to the acquisition of Jules Sambon’s collection of theatre-related objects. In 1910, Milanese cultural figures, including Arrigo Boito, Lodovico Pogliaghi and Ettore Modigliani, proposed founding a museum using the collection as a basis. The required funds, 450,000 lire, were raised through a combination of state support and contributions from 50 private citizens.

Initially, Sambon declined the offer, as the collection was sought by the financier J. P. Morgan. The museum founders successfully persuaded him to withdraw, allowing the collection to remain in Milan. The museum opened less than two years later in the former Casino Ricordi, housing and preserving the theatrical heritage represented by Sambon’s collection.