Palazzo d'Arco was built in 1784 by the architect Antonio Colonna for Gherardo D'Arco who belonged to a family branch from Trento and had moved to Mantova few years earlier. (in Portazzolo street you can see the signs of the most ncient structures). The buliding fafces the square having the same name, where the Earls Cheppio used to live. A wide Neoclassical facade, riminding the visitors of Palladio, characterizes the Palace, which consists in three main buildings surrounding a semicircle courtyard, enclosed by an exedra which gives a screening effect to the beautiful garden, where oe can find some biuldings that can be be dated back to yhr Renaissance. This part was owned by the Marquises Dalla Valle and was bought by the D'Arco family in 1872. From the garden one can enter the fourteenth century Palazzo dalla Valle, one of the buildings of the architectural complex of the Palazzo D'Arco. Here, in the Room of the Zodiac, there is an interesting fresco by Giovanni Maria Falconetto, depicting the twelve signs of the Zodiac and their relevant mythology. In 1973 Giovanna d'Arco Guidi di Bagno, the last heir of the Mantan lineage died. She was willing to donate the Palace and its fortune to the city of Mantua: she had indeed decided that the Palace (together with its precious collections, the archive and a very well - stocked library) would become apublic museum. The Palace is currenltly being run bythe D'Arco Foundation, which preserves its countenance of patrician hall. The Museum boats a notheworthy picture library, including cworks by Antoon van Dyck, Alessandro Magnasco, Frans Pourbus il Giovane and many others. In a hall one finds painting about Alessandro Magno by Giuseppe Bazzani. Several collections are hosted inside it (such as the ones of music as well as scientific instruments. The origlinal furnishings were kept where they were at the last hier's time. The kitchen is a very interesting room from this point of view because it is rich in ancient uensils. The courtyard, the hallway and theatre (where the Theatre Academy Campogallian has its seat) hosted Festivaletteratura events.