Situated in an area of the old church of San Pietro all’Orto (1197), the Museum, the only one in our country, illustrates the evolution in technology, style and taste of keyboard instruments (from the harpsichord to the piano), with special regard for the Italian production of excellence. The instruments on show include ten mechanical organs of Italian manufacture, dated from 1680 to 1839 and featuring, for its rarity, a portative organ by Carlo Traeri of 1686 and a positive organ by Agostino Traeri of 1756. There are also six keyboard instruments (a harpsichord, three forte-pianos and two pianos) from the period ranging from the 17th century to 1904. The exhibition itinerary also presents devices to keep the antique instruments in proper working order.

Opened in June 2003, the Museum owes its birth to the Santa Cecilia Museum Foundation of Massa Marittima, which was instituted one year before. Dedicated to the valorisation of old museum settings and to the diffusion of classical music, the Foundation organises musical events where one can hear the timbres of the antique instruments on show, which for the occasion are played by the expert hands of international pianists.