Richly decorated by exquisite paintings and sculptures and now the seat of the House of music, an important reference point for music research and documentation, Cusani Palace was built in the second half of 15th century by the parmesan branch of the noble Cusani family and given over to the Municipality of Parma at the beginning of the 17th century. 
After hosting the University of Parma until 1768, in 1778 the palace became the seat of the State Mint under the rule of Don Ferdinand of Bourbon, a new function that entailed structural changes and the creation of different spaces in order to conform them to different needs. In 1820 thanks to Duchess Marie Louise, who had chosen to exploit huge buildings for administration and military purposes, Cusani Palace became the premises of the Law Court, thus completing a complex that already played host to the prison in the nearby San Francesco convent.
When in 1924 the Civil and Penal Court was moved to a another place, Cusani Palace became the seat of a primary school, thus involving further divisions of the great halls on the ground floor and the construction during the second world war of air-raid shelter that radically transformed the building appearance. Cusani Palace remained the seat of the primary school until 1983, when a earthquake seriously damaged it and doomed it to fall into disuse.
Following accurate restoration works that have brought it back to its original splendour, the palace has been open to the public again since 2002. The building has nowadays a square shape and a total surface of 4500 square metres divided on three floors, with precious interiors decorated by original frescoes. At the centre of the inner court has been placed again the statue of Hercules and Anteus by the flemish Teodor Vanderstruck (1684-1687).


The House of Music is today an international reference point for music research and documentation.
It houses the main music institutions of the town, such as the Historical Archive of Theatre Regio, the International Research Center on Music Periodicals (CIRPeM), the Musicology Department of the University of Parma and the Label, the new electroacoustics laboratory of House of Sound open from Friday 3 December 2010.
Among the services of the House of Music worth noting are the Opera on stage museum displaying four centuries of opera history in town, and the Library of the Institution House of Music. Moreover the Laboratory for music divulgation Parlare di musica has the aim of promoting meetings on music history and listening experiences for secondary schools and all citizens.
The House of Music also hosts facilities also include a Concert Hall with a Steinway piano dedicated to concerts and presentations, an Auditorium for educational purposes and the Cafeteria Caffè del Prato open from Monday to Saturday from 9.00am to 6.00pm.