La Scala is the most renown opera house in the world, a real temple of classical music. It can take in up to 2000 people, both in stalls and in boxes, ordered in six tiers. It was built in two years, starting from 1776, by will of empress Maria Teresa of Austria, after the fire that destroyed the former Ducal Theatre. The new theatre was built upon the remains of the ancient church of Santa Maria alla Scala (from which it took its name) under the project by neoclassical architect Piermarini, showing a simple and sober front, especially if compared to the magnificient interior. It was opened in 1778 with a work by Antonio Salieri, the rival of Mozart.

First period in La Scala history, up to 1793, saw the success of Neapolitan comic opera by Paisiello and Cimarosa. After a short period of French neoclassical influence, in 1812 began with works by Gioacchino Rossini the great history of Italian opera, which will continue in 1825 with works by Vincenzo Bellini and Gaetano Donizetti, and will reach its top in the season of Giuseppe Verdi opening in 1839. With the artistic supervision by Arturo Toscanini begins in 1898 a new phase in La Scala history, with the opening to the repertoire by Richard Wagner and the performances of Verist works by Mascagni and Leoncavallo. Finally, at the beginning of the new century, begins the season of Giacomo Puccini, who will dominate the scenes up to the Turandot in 1926, which is also simbolically considered the closing work in Italian opera.

In 1921 the property of the theatre passed from private owners of the boxes to the Town Hall of Milan that, thanks to a careful and qualified management, besides public fundings, raised its activity at an international level, attracting the best directors and singers in the world, by renovating and enlivening the traditional Italian opera, making up in this way for the end its creative season. Between the world wars and in the second postwar period, the La Scala Theatre has actually been able to keep, thanks to its capable direction, its primary role, remaining the most prestigious theatre in the opera world survey.

Close to the theatre there is the Museum, showing some scene costumes, portraits and busts of artists and composers, besides many antiques property by the most important glories of the theatre: the composer Giuseppe Verdi and the director Arturo Toscanini. The museum was opened in 1813 after the purchase of antique French collections, then enlarged with testimonies of theatre activity.