Discover the best things to do in Milan. Admire the culture heritage of Italy and the best museums in Milan, spanning from The Last Supper, Duomo & La Scala Theater to modern art galleries in Museo del Novecento and the majestic Pinacoteca di Brera.
Milan is one of the best places to visit in Italy, full of cultural surprises, enriched and inspired by multiple art movements. Check out the 5 most vibrant and entertaining museums of the city.
Being the economic and fashion capital of Italy, Milan is often mistaken as a young and modern city. However, the truth is that the city itself has a long history, spanning even before the Roman Empire period. Along with its historical development, Milan hosted numerous amount of famous artists and scientists in different fields and their marvelous works are now still displayed in different museums in Milan. Let’s find out what are the best museums in Milan to prepare for your next memorable trip in this dynamic city.
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What is the best time and way to visit the best museums of Milan?
Given their famous art collections, all museums in Milan can be very busy during the whole year, so we suggest to start the visit early in the morning or early afternoon to avoid long waiting lines and excessive heat in the summer. To guarantee a quick access (especially in Duomo Cathedral & The Last Supper Museum), a group guided tour can be a good idea (such as offered here on GetYourGuide and other websites).
However, most group tours in Italy are normally organized in a group of 20-30 people (sometimes even more), which means a lot of time is wasted just to move around and wait for other people who may be late.
If you are searching for a more private experience at your own pace & rhythm, where you do not need to match the speed of the rest the group and can take your time to ask any questions or personalize the tour in any way you prefer – a private tour is the best choice for the most comfortable experience, in a language you prefer and at the time you prefer.
In case you are planning several private tours of Italy, we suggest to visit no more than 3 museums in one day and consider that it normally takes between 1.5-2 hours for each museum.
Admire Leonardo Da Vinci №1 Masterpiece in The Last Supper Museum
Milan is not the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci but it’s in Milan that he excelled his skills under the sponsorship of the Duke of Milan.
Leonardo da Vinci’s masterworks are displayed in multiple locations around historical center of Milan, including:
- Biblioteca Ambrosiana that preserves the original version of Leonardo da Vinci sketches, Codex Atlanticus
- Science and Technology Museum with a whole section dedicated to Leonardo Da Vinci inventions
- The Sala delle Asse (room VIII of the Museum of Ancient Art in Sforza Castle)
- The worldwide famous Last Supper painting in Milan, located in the The Last Supper Museum
- Leonardo interactive museum ”Leonardo3” with a detail explanation on life and work philosophy of Leonardo da Vinci. By the way, if you are visiting Milan with your kids and are looking for the best things to do in Milan for kids, check our private family-friendly tour designed for families with kids (that includes Leonardo3 museum, toy store tour as well as Duomo’s rooftop & gelato tasting)
The Last Supper painting in Milan is a mural painting dated in the 14th century, housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie Church in Milan, Italy. The painting captured the scene of the Last Supper of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles, specifically in the moment that Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him.
The illustration of space perspective, complex body and facial expression demonstrates the unimageable talents of Leonardo da Vinci and it is one of the Leonardo’s most celebrated works. Given that it is painted directly to the wall, the preservation of the painting during time especially during the war period is particularly challenging, as a proof of significant passion for arts and culture heritage of Italian society even during the harsh time.
The Last Supper is considered one of the most popular things to do in Milan and a must-see attraction for all visitors, and for this reason it is not always easy to secure entrance tickets on the official website (which is not very user-friendly).
If you wish to visit the museum and learn more in detail about the paintings and Leonardo da Vinci’s life and how they are both closely connected to Milan, you can book our private skip-the-line Last Supper tour, which will guarantee your access to the museum with our professionally licensed tour guide.
Official website of Last Supper Museum: https://cenacolovinciano.org/museo/le-opere/ultima-cena-leonardo-da-vinci-1452-1519/
Duomo of Milan Museum
The Duomo of Milan took nearly six centuries to complete and it is the biggest cathedral in Italy. Leonardo da Vinci also participated in the Cathedral design competition with a wooden model, which was not accepted by the Duke of Milan.
While many visitors often admire the beauty of Milan Duomo from the outside or rooftop, for travelers who want to understand deeply about the 600-year history of the Duomo, Duomo Museum is a must-see attraction.
In contrast with the crowds & lines outside Duomo, the museum provides a quiet, silent place where visitors can admire the details of unique sculptures and works of art which have been placed on the monument from close up.
With 26 rooms spanning over 2000 m2, the museum of Milan’s Duomo is one of the best places to visit in Italy to understand better its long history of religion and not only. The museum has an enormous collection of statues, stained-glass windows, paintings, tapestries, architectural models, terracottas and plaster casts, for which all of them are original elements taken from the Duomo during its history.
While it can be overwhelming to admire all the artworks in a short period of time, a professional tour guide can help you to learn about the most important art pieces of the museum and how they are closely connected to the Duomo and the history of Milan.
If you wish to have a comprehensive tour of Duomo – the most significant architecture masterpiece of Milan – check out our private tour which includes skip-the-line tickets to Duomo Rooftop with lift access, the inside of Duomo, the underground archeological area and Duomo Museum. Our professional tour guide will explain to you every historical information in detail in a very informative but entertaining way.
Official website of Duomo Museum: https://www.duomomilano.it/cultura-e-arte/museo-del-duomo/
La Scala Theater Museum
The name ”La Scala” comes from the church of Santa Maria alla Scala, which used to stand on the same site. This church was so called because it was founded in 1300, by Regina della Scala of the noble “della Scala” family of Verona.
It’s exciting to know that Milan’s culture values span across multiple artistic forms. Besides architecture, Milan is also one of the world top locations for Theater & Opera. La Scala, the main Opera House of Milan, is ranked by National Geographic as the world’s most prestigious opera theater and the one most associated with “opera”.
Most of Italy’s greatest opera artists, and many of the finest singers from around the world, have appeared at La Scala. The theater brings with itself a rich history and it’s the home of many famous opera composers, including Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and its season opens on 7 December every year on Saint Ambrose’s Day, the feast day of Milan’s patron saint.
One of La Scala’s most ingenious features is the concave channel under the wooden floor of the orchestra; this is credited with giving the theater superb acoustics.
La Scala also hosts its own museum: “Theatrical Museum of La Scala”, a marvelous collection of historical theater and opera items such as theatrical costumes, set designs, autograph scores, and musical instruments, together with paintings of musicians and actors, precious ceramic figures portraying characters from the “commedia dell’arte” – the first opera played on the inauguration of La Scala.
With our professional tour guide on a private tour, you can also learn some important information about the biggest artists who have performed on La Scala, such as Verdi, Toscanini, Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti or Carla Fracci.
While visiting the Museum of Scala, sometimes you may also have the opportunity to visit La Scala Theater stage, even on rehearsal of the nextopera set, which is surely an unique memory in your trip to Milan.
Official website of La Scala Museum: https://www.museoscala.org/it/index.html
Pinacoteca of Brera & Palazzo Citterio
Pinacoteca of Brera contains one of the foremost collections of Italian paintings from the 13th to the 20th century, an extension of the cultural education program of the Brera Academy – one of the most prestigious art academies in Italy.
Besides the Pinacoteca, Palazzo di Brera also hosts other important art and cultural institutions of Milan: Brera Fine Arts Academy, Istituto Lombardo (founded by Napoleon), Brera Botanical Garden, and Brera Astronomical Observatory. The complex is the founding structure of Milan art and science advancement.
Often recognized as one of the best museums in Milan, the museum palace dates back to the late Baroque period and since the 18th century, it hosts the Academy of Fine Arts due to the request of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria (during this period, Milan is under the reign of Austrian Empire). It was not until 1809 that The Pinacoteca museum was open to the public as we know now thanks to Napoleon Bonaparte.
The museum’s most important role since opening has been a display of the finest works of arts, dedicated to the education of students. A vast amount of Italian most significant art masterpieces taken from churches and monasteries were added to the museum collection when Milan was the capital city of the Kingdom of Italy.
Within its 30 rooms, Pinacoteca di Brera displays hundreds art pieces of Italian most important painters. Some of the most well-known painting of the museum includes:
- The Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael
- Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio
- Lamentation of the Dead Christ by Andrea Mantegna
- St. Mark Preaching in Alexandria by Gentile and Giovanni Bellini
- Riot at the Gallery by Umberto Boccioni
- The Kiss by Francesco Hayez
- Modigliani Portraits
- Head of a Bull by Picasso
Offical website of Pinacoteca di Brera: https://pinacotecabrera.org/en/
Also, don’t miss a new opening in Milan (December 2024) Palazzo Citterio, that hosts important masterpieces of the XIX century, including De Chirico, Picasso, Morandi, Modigliani and many more.
Museo Del Novecento, Best Modern Art Gallery Museum of Milan
Futurism movement was born in Milan and the city remained the single most important center for innovative art in Italy throughout XXI century (quote by The New York Times).
If you have to choose one museum to immerse in the modern side of Milan, it must be Museum of 900. As suggested by its name, the museum is a journey through the art of the XX and XXI centuries with over 300 masterpieces.
One of the newest museums in Milan, Museum of 900 was inaugurated in 2010 to spread the knowledge of twentieth-century art and promote Italian and Milan cultural and artistic heritage of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Visitors can admire the masterpieces of all prominent artistic movements in the 20th century from Futurists to Abstractionism, Arte Povera, the Novecento Italiano, Post-Impressionism and Realism. Spanning 4 floors, Museum of 900 exhibits several dedicated rooms to the most outstanding Italian contemporary artists Giorgio de Chirico, Lucio Fontana, Morandi, Umberto Boccioni. Notable artworks of non-Italian artists such as Braque, Kandinsky, Klee, Léger, Matisse, Mondrian and Picasso are also displayed in the museum.
Besides its intensive art collection, the museum is also acclaimed for its remarkable architecture. Located in the Duomo Square on a historical palace, the museum has been transformed into a splendid combination of modern tone with big glass and the historical spirit of the marble facade. The top floor of the museum is undoubtedly the most instagrammable location in Milan, taking a memorable photo here is is one of the best things to do in Milan.
Official website of Museum 900: https://www.museodelnovecento.org/
In case you are planning to organize several private tours of Italy, we suggest to visit no more than 3 museums in one day and consider that it normally takes between 1.5-2 hours for each museum.
Feel free to contact us to book one of our private tours of Italy, including any of the above museums of Milan (you can choose you own combination or choose one of our packages) to unfold the exciting history of Milan. In case you have already explored Milan, check our article about the 17 best day trips from Milan. Our professional guides will share an in-depth knowledge about Milan’s 1,600 years of cultural heritage and make your experience informative and entertaining to enjoy the most of this beautiful city.
