(Source: CNTV)

He has gone down in history as one of the world’s greatest violin makers. Now the work of Italy’s Antonio Stradivari and his family is being showcased at a new museum, which is due to open its doors later this year.

Stradivari is a household name in the world of string instruments. Some of the violins on display here are worth up to 20 million U.S. dollars. They were handcrafted by Antonio Stradivari and his sons during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Musicologist Andrea Mosconi helps look after these treasures, inlcuding a 1715 Stradivari violin called "The Cremonese".

"Certainly, playing a high-end instrument like a Stradivari, means being able to give your best as a performer. The instrument itself makes your job easier," Mosconi said.

The violins at the City Hall will soon take pride of place alongside others at this brand new facility, the Violin Museum, in Cremona. The museum will showcase some of the best string instruments ever made by the Stradivari family.

As well as displaying these instruments, the new museum will also offer an interactive, multimedia experience. The museum's director Alessandra Villa says those who want to know more can access information from the city’s historic archives.

At the heart of the new museum is a violin-shaped concert hall, made from the same maple wood that violins are made from. The pitch-perfect venue can accommodate more than 400 people and promises to attract big names to its stage.

Giorgio Grisales is the President of the Cremona Violin Consortium. He makes string instruments at a workshop in the city.

"The violin museum will have a fundamental role. The city of Cremona will benefit greatly from it, and so will Cremona’s violin makers," Grisales said. "But most of all, human kind will. Those who love music and respect music, who rejoice with music will be able to see something wonderful, something amazing when they visit the violin museum."

The new Violin Museum is due to open to the public on September 14, kicking off a five-week long "Stradivari Festival".