Not just Leonardo. Discover 6 different art galleries in Milan
From Museo del Risorgimento to Galleria Carla Sozzani: history, contemporary art and design.
by Tuya Haden, Sofía Revilla and Jyong-Ling
Milan is home to some of the most fascinating museums in the world that hold some truly incredible artwork. Many know that Leodardo Da Vinci’s famous and most recognizable painting, the Last Supper, sits in the heart of the city in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. However, what most people don’t realize is that there is so much more art history in addition to the Last Supper that is truly breathtaking. Some museums sit in some of the most popular areas of the city, yet many people are unaware of their existence. Better yet, these museums are affordable (often free) and open daily. If you’re interested in italian art history or if you find yourself wandering about in the city, be sure to check out these absolutely stunning museums that will exceed all expectations.
Museo del Risorgimento
Curious about the unification of Italy? Want to visit a museum without paying? Then Museo del Risorgimento will be a good choice for you. The Museo del Risorgimento is housed at Palazzo Moriggia, in Via Borgonuovo and is three minutes from the Montenapoleone metro station on foot. It opens on Tuesday to Sunday 09:00–13:00, 14:00–17:30.
The palace, commissioned by the Marquis Giovanni Battista Moriggia and designed in 1775 by Giuseppe Piermarini, housed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of War in the Napoleonian era. It became the residence of the De Marchi family, and was later donated to the Municipality of Milan in order to create a museum.
The Museo del Risorgimento comprises of fourteen rooms. It chronologically illustrates Italian historical events between 1796 and 1861 by using paintings, prints, sculptures, and mementos. We can learn a vast amount of history from the first stirrings for independence to Italian Unification and the proclamation of Rome as the capital of Italy.
As expected, the museum is mostly in Italian, so you might not be able to have a thorough understanding of Italian history if you do not understand the language itself. However, there are also great paintings, sculptures and general objects displayed that non-Italian readers can still admire and enjoy.
It is a small museum, so it won’t take too much time to walk through all the showpieces. The valuable collection is essential in order to retrace the historical memory of the Risorgimento. Therefore, it is a relaxing and cheerful visit.
For more info go to：http://www.museodelrisorgimento.mi.it
Address: Via Borgonuovo, 23, 20121 Milano MI
Ticket：FREE
Opening hours：Tue~Sun 09:00–13:00, 14:00–17:30
Phone：+39 02 8846 4177
Galleria d’Arte Moderna
The Villa Reale, which is one of the masterpieces of Milanese Neoclassical architecture, is three minutes from the Palestro metro station on foot, and opens from Tuesday to Sunday 09:00–17:30.
Villa Reale was built for Ludovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso by Leopold Pallack, a pupil of Giuseppe Piermarini, between 1790 and 1796. This gorgeous villa is surrounded by an English landscape garden, and inside the villa is now a 19th century museum hall — Galleria d’Arte Moderna.
Galleria d’Arte Moderna is one of the most abundant public collections in Italy. Previously displayed in the Castello Sforzesco, the museum moved to the Villa Reale in 1921. There are many murals, sculptures, furniture and chandeliers which illustrate the neoclassical Lombard aristocratic style. By walking through the collections, you can appreciate the entire art history of the period.
There are three floors in the gallery. On the ground floor, there is a small bookstore beside the information desk. You can also see several paintings and statues before going upstairs. The first floor is chronologically arranged with permanent collections. It begins with the Neoclassical age, continues with a variation of nineteenth century movements-Historical Romanticism, Scapigliatura, Realism-and ends with the amazing paintings of the Divisionism and the art of the Symbolism. The second floor is all about Grassi and Vismara Collections, including masterpieces by Umberto Boccioni, Edouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. On the wall of the stairs, there are also Chinese collections. For example, there are sculptures of Buddhas, clothes with special textures, and many paintings.
If you are interested in modern artworks, Galleria d’Arte Moderna is really a place worth visiting！
For more info go to：http://www.gam-milano.com/en/home/
Address: Via Palestro, 16, 20121 Milano
Ticket：Adults €5；Concessions €3；Free admission on the first Sunday and the first and third Tuesday of the month from 2:00 p.m.
Opening hours：Tue~Sun 09:00–17:30（Last admission one hour before closing）
Phone：+39 02 8844 5943
Fondazione Prada
Located in the south of Milan, Fondazione Prada is the city’s largest contemporary art gallery. Even before entering, Fondazione Prada is for sure an unmissable sight: with a golden facade, Fondazione Prada’s venue is the product of the transformation of a former distillery dating back to the 1910s.
Admiring the museum’s architecture is an important part of the experience too. Miuccia Prada founded Fondazione Prada in 1993, and it has now an architectural configuration that combines pre existing structures with new ones, creating an eclectic mixture of buildings that house some really interesting contemporary artworks. By walking through the different buildings, you can admire the post-industrial array.
Some of the gallery’s must see include works belonging to the permanent exhibition, such as Jeff Koons’ Tulips and Carsten Höller’s Upside-Down Mushroom Room. If you are interested in art that pushes you out of your comfort zone, Fondazione Prada is definitely the place to go to.
By going through the nine-story building tower, you’ll find that each hall has a unique feeling to it, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the contemporary artworks showcased. It invites the visitor to interact and question art; making the visit to this museum a truly unique experience that you have to live if you are in Milan. Visiting Fondazione Prada is a nice way to open your horizons and mind to experience art in a completely different way.
To end your visit and have the gallery’s complete experience, don’t forget to take a coffee at Bare Luce, designed by the american film director Wes Anderson, that recreates the atmosphere of a typical Milanese café and that has a cool vintage vibe.
For more information go to: http://www.fondazioneprada.org
Address: Largo Isarco, 2, 20139 Milan Italy
Ticket: 0–10 €
Opening hours: Monday-Thursday (10:00–19:00), Friday-Sunday (10:00–21:00). Closed on thursdays
Phone: 02 5666 2612
Museo del Novecento
Passing by the famous Piazza del Duomo, in the heart of Milan’s center, the Museo del Novecento’s lights captured our attention. We decided to get in, only to discover that it was a museum housing around 400 italian artworks!
As the museum’s name says, in Museo del Novecento, you will be able to see some of the most important 20th century italian and worldwide art currents. Going up a spiral stairway, the exhibition path follows a chronological order, making it easier for the visitor to understand the art movements’ historical timeline.
Starting with Futurism and Avant-garde, followed by the 1930s Abstractionism, the museum contains paintings and sculptures that will help you get an idea about the different styles of the 1900s. Apart from this, some of the halls are dedicated specifically to italian artists such as the Mario Marini Collection.
In the first hall, you are received with paintings from important figures such as Pablo Picasso, Matisse and Kandinsky, (which is a really nice welcome!).
As you go up, you’ll be able to appreciate conceptual paintings and photographs, with works from artists like Sol Le Witt, Joseph Kosuth and John Baldessari. Almost at the end of the museum’s route, you’ll find Sala Fontana, a perfect spot for taking nice pictures. The hall has a great view, overlooking the Piazza del Duomo, as well as a neon artwork hanging from the ceiling.
When visiting the Museo del Novecento, keep in mind the large amount of artworks to see. Some of Novecento’s bonus points are the cheap entry price: 3 euros for students and 5 euros for a general entry. Another good thing about this museum is that it also opens on Mondays, making it a perfect place to visit after having a nice walk by the Duomo.
So now you know, if you’d like to get a little dip into italian art history, you should certainly take a look into this amazing museum that has a lot to offer.
For more information go to: https://www.museodelnovecento.org/it/
Address: Piazza del Duomo, 8, 20123 Milano, Italy
Ticket: 5 €
Opening hours: Monday (2:30–19:30), Tuesday,Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (9:30–19:30), Thursday and Saturday (9:30–22:30)
Phone: 02 8844 4061
Hangar Bicocca
The Pirelli HangarBicocca is a fascinating museum that consists of contemporary art from various Italian and international artists. As the name appropriately suggests, the museum is located in the Bicocca industrial district that is reachable by both subway and bus. If you choose to take the subway, the Red Line Sesto Marelli stop is your best bet and for the bus, take lines 87 or 51. There is free admission from Thursday to Sunday 10am-10pm, and the museum is closed Monday to Wednesday.
The HangarBicocca building itself consists of three separate volumes. First, there is the shed, which is the space visitors see once entering the building. The shed is structurally compelling due to its external brick appearance, which represents the industrial architecture of the district back in the twenties. Second, the main space is called the Aisles, is the highest in the building. It was originally built in 1963, where they used it to test electrical machines. Those who visit the HangarBicocca and see the Aisles will notice crane structures that are still preserved from the 60’s. Lastly, at the bottom of the building, visitors will find the Cube. This space flaunts natural lighting, unlike any other part of the complex. It was built in 1955 to test electrical turbines and it is characterized by barrel vaults.
This museum consists of both permanent and temporary exhibitions. One permanent exhibition is by German artist Anselm Kiefer, and it’s called The Seven Heavenly Palaces. It comprises of five large pictorial works that form together to create seven “towers”. It is truly a breathtaking masterpiece that conveys Western history and philosophy. If visitors want to catch a temporary exhibition, however, then they must see the work of Daniel Steegmann Mangrané. His masterpiece, called A Leaf-Shaped Animal Draws the Hand, represents the relationship between culture and nature. Through his artwork, visitors can really see his interest in biology shine through in a fascinating artform. This exhibition will be available from 12 September 2019- 19 January 2020, so visitors should check it out while they can!
For more information visit: http://www.hangarbicocca.org/.
Address: Via Chiese, 2, 20126 Milano MI, Italy
Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday 10:00am — 22:00pm
Link: http://www.hangarbicocca.org/
Galleria Carla Sozzani
The Galleria Carla Sozzani is a unique and new museum established by Carla Sozzani that consists of exhibitions that display photography, fashion, fine arts and applied arts. Since its opening it has hosted over 200 exhibitions, establishing itself as one of the most important photography galleries in Italy. It is a four minute walk from both the M2 and M5 stations in Garibaldi.
There are two current exhibitions right now at the Gallery. The first is centered around New York and is created by Tony Viramontes. It is available from 8th September 2019 until 10th November 2019, so you better check it out while it’s still there! The exhibition is called Bold, Beautiful, and Damned. The second exhibition is focused on Milano itself and is called Silver Lake Drive by Alex Prager. This one is available for a longer amount of time, from 15th September 2019 until 6th January 2020.
Address: Corso Como, 10, 20154 Milan MI
Opening Hours: Everyday, 10.30 am — 7.30 pm
Wednesday, Thursday; 10.30 am — 9.00 pm
Phone: 02 653531
