Museums and galleries in Milan

Museums and galleries in Milan

1. BuyNorth

   10 Corso Como

   Found in the early 1990s, this sort of "multi-functional" shopping complex is found in the same place as its name. Considered a lifestyle emporium and 13,000 square feet big, it contains some fashion shops, design, photography and art gallery, luxury goods, a bookshop, accessories, a cafe and a restaurant. Situated in the Garibaldi district, near the Centro Direzionale (Milan's business district), it has a courtyard, and a European/Oriental inspired interior design.

2. SeeCentro Storico

   Ambrosian Gallery and Library

   Pinacoteca e Biblioteca Ambrosiana

   Historical library that also houses the Ambrosian art gallery with treasures such as Leonardo Atlantic Codex.

   €17, or €20 including the crypt

3. SeeCentro Storico

   Bagatti Valsecchi Museum

   Museo Bagatti Valsecchi

   Extraordinary, somewhat bizarre 1880s house museum of the aristocratic Bagatti Valsecchi brothers, showcasing their passion for Renaissance art and design. Slightly spoiled by unsympathetic electrical wiring and noise-generating machines.

   Tue Wed Fri-Sun 13:00-17:45, Thu 13:00-21:00·€14; entrance is included in the Case Museo (house museums) card

4. SeeNorth

   Boschi Di Stefano House Museum

   Casa museo Boschi di Stefano

   Extensive collection of 20th century art. Building (1929–1931) and some furniture by Piero Portaluppi.

   10:00–17:30, closed Mon·Free

5. SeeCentro Storico

   Brera Art Gallery

   Pinacoteca di Brera

   One of Italy's most important art collections and one of the foremost collections of Italian paintings. The ticketing system is a bit unusual – there are no "standard" single-entry tickets, only a "Brera card", which allows one to visit any number of times within 3 months. It costs €15, but the entry date/time slot still needs to be booked and may be sold out for the current day!

   8:30-19:00 Tue-Sun·15€

6. SeeCentro Storico

   Duomo

   Cathedral

   Massive, impressive and slightly mad: the cathedral is a late Gothic confection in white marble, festooned with spires and statues. You can admire the facade free from the piazza; getting inside or onto the roof involves three separate queues that may take over an hour, unless you book online. First locate the ticket office: it's along the street on the cathedral's south flank but has been known to wander, with various pop-up outlets. Here you queue #1 to pick up a number to queue #2 for the ticket desks. Buy your ticket, which will be for a specific time slot that day. When that time approaches (and off-peak it could be immediate) join queue #3 at the cathedral door for security and ticket check. There's a tedious list of what is and isn't allowed. Despite this list, shorts which end just above the knee are indeed allowed. Short-shorts are prohibited. Small backpacks are allowed (there is a bag check station). The interior is just as impressive as outside, though if you hate it you'll be in distinguished company. The problem was that construction went on in fits and starts for over 500 years, with every ruler adding bits or disliking previous work. Then in 1805 the conquering Napoleon said "Get this finished tout de suite, and my treasury will pick up the bill" and lo! it was finished. (Though he never paid up.) The Crypt of St Charles is entered within the cathedral, no extra fee, it closes around 17:00. The Baptistery of St John (extra fee) is within the cathedral. The roof (extra fee) can be reached by a lift or by 250 steps. The museum (included in ticket, closed W) is in the adjacent Church of St Gottard in Corte. It displays the story of the construction, with walk-in wooden models, façade designs from several centuries, sculptures and more.

   Daily 08:00-19:00, roof from 09:00·Cathedral: adult €3; roof by stairs €13, by lift €15; Baptistery of St John €3

7. BuyCentro Storico

   Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

   The mother of all shopping malls: upscale shops in a splendid 19th century palace of a mall, with a stunning mosaic floor, and wonderful glass roof and cupola. Contains boutiques such as Louis Vuitton and Prada, a McDonald's fast-food restaurant, a silverware store called Bernasconi, and eating places such as the Zucca in Galleria, Biffi or a Gucci cafe (and loads more, notably art galleries, fashion boutiques, bookstores and restaurants). At Christmas time, it becomes an enchanting place, with beautiful lights and glitzy decorations. For real Milanese cheap food, go to Luini for a Panzerotti on nearby Via San Radegonda.

8. SeeNorth

   Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli

   Public gardens

   An 18th-century park complex in the Montenapoleone/Porta Venezia district, designed in an English Romantic garden style. Inside, you can find rockeries, water features, fountains, statues and monuments, and other interesting features. You also get a planetarium, a natural history museum, and on the other side of the Palestro street, you can also find an opulent Royal villa which today hosts a contemporary art collection within grand ornate halls. Reachable via P.ta Venezia, Turati or Palestro metro stations. The gardens are in an excellent position since they're quite near to the Duomo and Brera district, and extremely close to the Montenapoleone street and the glamorous shopping area around it.

9. SeeOuter Milan

   Hangar Bicocca

   Contemporary art museum in a giant hangar in the industrial district just north of Milano Bicocca university. They have a few permanent sculptural installations along with rotating temporary exhibits and events.

10. SeeSouth

    La Rotonda della Besana

    An 18th-century Neoclassical complex. It is now an exhibition space.

11. SeeWest

    Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology

    Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia

    As the name tells, it is a museum to learn more about science and technology. Hosted in a former monastery, San Vittore al Corpo.

    Tue-Fri 09:30-17:00, Sat & holidays 09:30-18:30·€10, concessions €7.50, disabled and children under 3 free. Guided tours €8 or €10 with reservation

12. SeeOuter Milan

    Museo San Siro Collezione Milan Inter

    Inter and Milan paraphernalia are at display at the museum in the stadium that two of the most famous football (soccer) teams in Italy call home.

13. SeeCentro Storico

    Poldi Pezzoli Museum

    Museo Poldi Pezzoli

    A varied collection of art from the 14th to 19th century, including armour, clocks, porcelain and tapestries. It has been a museum since 1881. The house was bombed in 1943, resulting in a somewhat incoherent restoration, but the collection had been moved to safety.

    Mon Wed-Sun 10:00-18:00 (last entrance at 17:30)·€15, or included with the Casa Museo card

14. SeeCentro Storico

    Royal Palace

    Palazzo Reale

    Always hosts many exhibitions, usually very interesting. Tickets are sold separately for each exhibition!

    €17

15. SeeCentro Storico

    Scala Theater Museum

    Museo Teatrale alla Scala

    A museum dedicated to one of the world's most famous opera houses. All types of memorabilias like dresses and pictures are on display. This includes a view into the opera hall from one of the loges, which is a short and simple alternative to the official guided tour of the opera. (Note that third party tour operators of the opera are not showing anything other than this view from the museum.) Check the museum website for the practice schedule, which determines visibility of the opera hall.

    Closed · opens 9 am tomorrow·€12 (reduced for students and people older than 65)

16. SeeWest

    Triennale

    Triennale di Milano

    Museum of Design and Architecture, always has 4-6 exhibits on the subject of design, photography or modern art, at least 1-2 of which are always free entry.

    Tue-Sun 10:30-20:30·Adult €10; student, under 26 or senior €8.50; child up to 16 free

17. SeeCentro Storico

    Via Manzoni

    Impressive refined-air street lined with aristocratic apartment blocks and opulent churches. It also hosts the Poldi Pezzoldi museum. Today, it is also one of the city's premier shopping streets, and is noted for containing the Armani Megastore. It is very close to La Scala opera house.

18. SeeCentro Storico Not mapped

    Museum of the 20th Century

    Museo del Novecento

    "Del 900" but meaning "since 1900", this modern art museum has a rich selection of works by Modigliani, Picasso, Morandi, Boccioni and more. The upper stairwell gives a good view of the Duomo rooftop.

    Tue Wed Fri Sat Sun 10:00–19:30, Thu 10:00–22:30·Full admission €10, reduced admission €5, children 0–12 years free; first Sunday of the month, and first and third Tuesdays of the month from 2PM are also free

19. SeeCentro Storico

    Civic Archeological Museum

    Civico Museo Archeologico

    Roman antiques from Milan and the surrounding area.

    10:00–17:30, closed Mon·€5

20. SeeNorth

    Modern Art Gallery

    Galleria d'Arte Moderna

    Mainly features 19th-century Italian art.

21. SeeNorth

    Natural Science Museum

    Museo Civico di Storia Naturale

    55, Corso Venezia

    Has reduced and free entry (depends on person) after 16:30 most days or 14:30 Fridays

22. SeeOuter Milan

    Paolo Pini Art Museum

    Museo d'Arte Paolo Pini

    Contemporary art gallery collection.

23. SeeNorth

    Society for Fine Arts and Permanent Exhibition

    Società per la Belle Arti ed Esposizione Permanente

    Changing exhibitions of contemporary art.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Milan (CC BY-SA 4.0).