Milan – a city full of museums and art galleries
Milan offers a rich and dense network of museums that are absolutely worth visiting. Our guide serves as a compass to navigate among the many public and private museums in Milan. Let’s explore together which are the best museums in Milan and the artworks not to be missed, housed within them.
1. Brera Art Gallery
The “Pinacoteca di Brera” was officially inaugurated in 1809 by Napoleon. It currently represents one of the most important collections of Italian art and preserves works that illustrate the history of art. Within the exhibition space, there are artworks spanning from the Gothic period to the 20th century. Among the paintings housed here are masterpieces by talented artists such as Piero della Francesca, Mantegna, Raphael, Bellini, Bramante, Titian, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Tiepolo, Hayez, Modigliani, and Boccioni.
2. Milan Cathedral Museum
The Milan Cathedral Museum encapsulates 6 centuries of life, starting in 1386 and ending in the 20th century. This space houses statues, stained glass, wooden models, terracottas, treasures, and bronzes, representing a true symbol of the city of Milan. Strolling through this space allows you to embark on a fascinating journey through the history of the Lombard capital.
3. Milan Archaeological Museum
The city of Milan is constantly evolving and renewing itself, but to take a step back in time, you can visit the “Archaeological Museum.” In this exhibition space, you can trace the history of the first 1,000 years of Milan, from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD. Here, you’ll find highly significant artifacts that transport you back in time. Visitors can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the Roman era and the splendor of the time when Milan was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
4. Museum of Milan at the Palazzo Morando Attendolo Bolognini
At the Palazzo Morando Attendolo Bolognini, the Museum of Milan houses a collection of paintings, sculptures, furnishings, scale models, and clothing that harken back to the city’s history. The space delves into the city’s journey from the 17th century to the early 20th century.
5. Museum Teatro alla Scala
The Teatro alla Scala Museum gathers numerous artifacts from the temple of opera, spanning from design drawings and sketches to the 20th century. Within the exhibition space, you’ll find musical instruments, props from commedia dell’arte, paintings, costumes, and memorabilia related to the great figures of Teatro alla Scala.
6. Museo del Novecento
In 2010, the Museo del Novecento was established in the halls of the Arengario Palace, in Piazza Duomo. Inside, there are over 400 works of art. This space provides the visitor with an almost comprehensive overview of the great avant-gardes of the 20th century. From Picasso to Fontana, from De Chirico to Boccioni, the exhibited works span the entire century, culminating on the beautiful panoramic terrace with a view of the Duomo.
7. GAM – Gallery of Modern Art
Within the premises of the Royal Villa, you can find the GAM collection, which provides the public with a significant overview of art. The collection includes works ranging from the 18th to the 19th century, from Neoclassicism to Romanticism, from the Scapigliatura movement to Divisionism. In other words, it offers new perspectives on French art with works by Picasso, Renoir, Matisse, and Rouault.
8. Ambrosian Art Gallery
Established by Federico Borromeo in 1618, the Ambrosian Art Gallery is one of the major cultural hubs in the city. The Art Gallery houses absolute masterpieces such as Caravaggio’s “Basket of Fruit” and Leonardo’s “The Musician,” Raphael’s “The School of Athens,” as well as works by Botticelli and Titian.
9. Museum of Ancient Art at Castello Sforzesco
This museum is located in the halls of the Castello Sforzesco. It features the “Sala delle Asse” painted by Leonardo da Vinci, but that’s not all. This museum visually narrates the grandeur of the Castle, a symbol of the city of Milan. Inside, you’ll find works by the greatest masters of Italian art, from Foppa to Mantegna, from Bellini to Leonardo’s followers, from Tintoretto to Correggio, from Tiepolo to Canaletto.
10. Gallerie d’Italia in Milan: The 19th and 20th Centuries
Within the Gallerie d’Italia in Milan, there are galleries that visually narrate the Italian 19th and 20th centuries. Much space is dedicated to Lombard history, significant moments of the Risorgimento, battles, and private atmospheres. The collection includes works by Giacomo Balla, Lucio Fontana, Alberto Burri, Bruno Munari, Piero Manzoni, Informal art, Pop Art, Arte Povera, and Conceptual Art. Moreover, there is an unmissable selection of 200 20th-century works.
11. Diocesan Museum of Milan
The Diocesan Museum of Milan showcases the city’s art and offers a collection of masterpieces that span from relics related to Saint Ambrose to Lucio Fontana. It houses works from the Gothic period, the Borromean period, and the 19th century featuring artists like Francesco Hayez and Mosè Bianchi. The museum is part of the Chiostri di Sant’Eustorgio.
12. Etruscan Museum of Milan
The Etruscan Museum of Milan is a space dedicated to the Etruscans and the history of this ancient Italian civilization. The museum was set up in 2022 in the splendid Palazzo Bocconi Rizzola Carraro and is an absolute must-visit.
13. Martinitt and Stelline Museum
The so-called Martinitt and Stelline Museum is located on Corso Magenta and is a multimedia journey that opens the doors to the boys’ orphanage (Martinitt) and the girls’ orphanage (Stelline). A visit to this museum is an opportunity to revisit the social, cultural, industrial, charitable, and economic history of the city of Milan.
14. Egyptian Museum of Milan
The Egyptian Museum of Milan is one of the most significant Egyptian museums in Italy. This space allows you to discover the timeless allure of one of the most important and complex cultures of the ancient world. In the museum, you can admire mummies, sarcophagi, objects, statues, and papyri.
15. Prada Foundation
The Fondazione Prada is an exhibition space where you can admire works by contemporary artists. Here, you’ll find many modern and creative ideas that provide food for thought about contemporary society and lifestyles. It’s a highly interesting stop for those visiting Milan.
16. Museum of Art and Science in Milan
The Museum of Art and Science in Milan is a kind of exhibition laboratory where there is a perfect fusion of chemistry, art, science, culture, history, religion, and ethics. It is located near the Castello Sforzesco and is definitely worth a visit.
17. National Museum of Science and Technology
Not far from the S. Ambrogio metro stop, you can also find the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan. With its 40,000 square meters of exhibition space, this venue narrates the scientific and technological progress across all fields and eras. The museum places a special focus on the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci; within the space, you’ll find a gallery dedicated to the genius, where you can admire studies and models of numerous machines he created.
18. Museum of the Risorgimento
This particular museum, located just a few steps from the Brera Botanical Garden, narrates the period of Italian history spanning from the first campaign of Napoleon Bonaparte in Italy (1796) to the annexation of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy (1870).
19. Triennale Design Museum
The Triennale Design Museum is dedicated to modernity, design, art, communication, architecture, cinema, and fashion. It was inaugurated in 2007 and is dedicated to contemporary art with innovative exhibitions.
20. MUDEC – Museum of Cultures
The Museum of Cultures in Milan (MUDEC) is the new cultural center dedicated to non-European art and culture. The museum also focuses on fostering dialogue between the diverse cultures that coexist within the city of Milan, which has always been oriented towards internationalism.
21. Bagatti Valsecchi House Museum
The Bagatti Valsecchi House Museum is a 19th-century residence arranged by the famous Bagatti Valsecchi brothers. They designed it following the model of an ancient 16th-century dwelling. Inside the space, you can find a rich collection of paintings, furnishings, sculptures, weapons, tapestries, and ivories. It is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved house museums in Europe.
22. Poldi Pezzoli House Museum
The collection of works at the Poldi Pezzoli House Museum is truly exceptional. It was assembled by Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli, a cultured and refined collector of the 19th century. The connoisseur wanted to decorate the family palace with masterpieces from different eras. The Dantesque Study is also splendid, Gian Giacomo’s private room adorned with beautiful stained glass. In the house, you’ll find paintings by Piero della Francesca, Pollaiolo, Tiepolo, Botticelli, and Mantegna. There’s a special focus on the Leonardo da Vinci school. The house museum also contains a wide array of furnishings, such as goldsmith works, porcelain, a complete armory, tapestries, furniture, carpets, and archaeological objects.
23. Villa Necchi Campiglio House Museum
The beautiful Villa Necchi Campiglio House Museum, designed in the rationalist style by Portaluppi in 1935 and later donated to the Italian National Trust (FAI), opened to the public in 2008. It preserves the original furnishings and has been expanded with donations that include works by artists such as Boccioni, De Chirico, Balla, Sironi, Morandi, and Wildt.
24. Civic Museum of Natural History
The Civic Museum of Natural History is a space where visitors can embark on a journey through the Earth across millennia: from mineralogy to paleontology, from invertebrates to vertebrates, from dinosaurs to modern-day animals, to the birth and evolution of humans. In short, it is an absolute must-see.
25. Franco Albini Foundation
The Franco Albini Foundation is located in a beautiful Neo-Renaissance building and houses unique pieces of design by the renowned architect and designer Franco Albini. Franco Albini was a well-known figure in Milan from the 1930s. He was involved in public housing projects until the 1960s, which included the design of the city’s first two subway lines.
26. The Civic Aquarium of Milan
The renowned Civic Aquarium of Milan offers its visitors a journey through river, lake, and marine environments. It is a place where you can easily understand Italian biodiversity and its curiosities, a journey to explore the age-old fascination that the sea has always held for humanity. There is also a section dedicated to the serious issues of water pollution on our planet.
27. The Interactive Museum of Cinema
The Interactive Museum of Cinema tells the importance that Milan has had in the history of this important art. The museum offers interactive stations, and at the end, there is a film screening that concludes the visit.
28. Branca Collection Museum
It is an exhibition that traces the history of one of Milan’s largest industries. The exhibition space showcases advertising posters, historical memorabilia, and beautiful cellars. The journey allows you to discover the great tradition of Milanese production, where art and industry have found a unique and interesting combination.
29. Campari Gallery
The Corporate Museum of the Campari Gallery tells the story of the relationship between one of the most renowned brands in the production of aperitifs and the world of design art. In the exhibition room, you can find a collection that is both unique and rare, bringing together calendars, advertising posters, commercials, and design objects that have revolutionized the world of communication.
30. Federica Galli Foundation in Milan
The Federica Galli Foundation is located in a beautiful building in the city center. It is a true gem dedicated to the graphic art of engraving. It’s a must-visit for those who are passionate about the field.
31. Vico Magistretti Foundation
A visit to the Vico Magistretti Foundation, located just a few steps from the Milan Conservatory, tells the story of the works and greatness of the great Milanese designer. Magistretti, in fact, worked in the city for more than sixty years. His architectural projects and his design objects, masterfully preserved in the Foundation, speak of the years of post-war reconstruction in Milan and the birth of Italian Design.
32. Achille Castiglioni Foundation
This path is located in Piazza Castello in Milan and is a focal point for discovering one of the most important figures in Italian Design, Achille Castiglioni. He is the creator of famous furniture items such as the Arco lamp.
Anyone deciding to visit the city and renting a luxury apartment in the city center, on Corso Buenos Aires, or in any other area of the Lombard capital, will certainly be able to easily reach each of these museums and immerse themselves in their magic. The advice is to book in advance, get information about tickets and hours from the official websites of each place, and then reach them using the city’s extensive public transportation network.
