For art lovers, this year is a special time to visit Italy. All across the country, events and exhibitions are taking place to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of one of the greatest artists of all time, Leonardo da Vinci. CGTN's Michal Bardavid takes us to one of the museums dedicated to the Renaissance Man in Rome.

It's been 500 years since the death of Leonardo da Vinci, an artist, an engineer, a mathematician, da Vinci was above all a curious soul.

He was born in 1452, near the town of Vinci, though he spent most of his life in Italy, he died in France which is now home to many of his paintings, including one of the world's most recognizable masterpieces, the Mona Lisa.

There are events in cities across Italy to celebrate the artist's work including an exhibition at the Museum Leonardo da Vinci Experience in Rome.

MICHAL BARDAVID ROME "One of the specialties of this museum is that the paintings portrayed here are certified copies of Leonardo's masterpieces. They have been recreated with the same techniques that da Vinci used and with the use of the same materials that were available to him during the time that he made them."

The museum also offers guests interactive models based on da Vinci's inventions and a window into his mind.

There's a glider that resembles wings, an aerial screw, a helicopter-like machine, a bicycle and a multi-barrel cannon.

LEONARDO LA ROSA, DIRECTOR MUSEUM OF LEONARDO DA VINCI EXPERIENCE "He had dreams, he saw birds flying, he created flying machines, his dream was to walk on water, so he created machines to do it, and also machines to go deep into water, then to move without muscles with different kind of energy, different machines and parts of machines that we use in everyday life and we didn't know that Leonardo da Vinci invented them 500 years ago."

The museum also combines music with art to give visitors a special experience, live performances by musicians take the guests back to the time of the Renaissance.

PAOLA ALONZI OPERA SINGER "A painting is a thing that seems not alive, because you can see it and it can't say anything, but with the music that painting could be alive again because we choose musical pieces that are connected with that painting."

Quincentennial events to remember the Italian master will take place throughout the year in Italy with a culmination on May second, the day da Vinci died. Michal Bardavid, CGTN, Rome.