Consisting of various theatrical memorabilia, the Burcardo Theater Library and Collection in Rome chronicles the history of Theater from the 1500s to the present day.
It includes 40 costumes, a collection of terracotta figurines depicting masks of the commedia dell’arte and popular theater, puppets and marionettes (among which are some Chinese ones from the 18th century). Numerous drawings and prints (over three thousand pieces), scenic sketches, portraits (about 120) in oil or tempera of actors and playwrights from the 19th and 20th centuries.
The collection, acquired through sale and donation by the S.I.A.E. (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers), has been housed since 1926 in the 15th-century Palazzo Burcardo, the residence of the then pontifical master of ceremonies Johannes Burckhardt.
The prelate was known by the nickname “episcopus argentinus” from the Latin name of his hometown, Argentoratum (present-day Strasbourg). The name Argentina began to be used for the palace tower, now disappeared, and later for the entire area.
The Burcardo Theater Library and Museum are the locations of the theatrical collection owned by the Italian Society of Authors and Publishers, open to the public since 1932.
The museum collections are hosted in the rooms of the SIAE Burcardo Theater Museum and include various types of materials: sculptures, paintings, costumes, memorabilia, accessories, and stage objects. The exhibition rooms of the small palace host a permanent exhibition of some of the most significant documents and objects from the collections of the Library and the Museum.
All book, documentary, and museum collections are continually enriched, thanks also to donations from enthusiasts and personalities from the world of entertainment.
