Milan in 360°: Great Museums, art, history, culture

The Milan Museums, both public and private, contain a large variety of stunning pieces, with great artistic and historical importance. These masterpieces are displayed in iconic, beautiful locations, mostly very close to the City Center.

Some Milanese Museums can be found in the city center, while others are scattered elsewhere, in a wonderful urban carnival that masters the art of mixing modernity and history. They’re so many that it’s almost impossible to list them all. Starting from the city center, please find below a selection of the museums we chose to shoot with 360° Photographs.

IMPORTANT: We thank the Milan Municipality, our official partner for many of such 360°Images, and each Museum for the priceless support and kindness. They often granted us to shoot exclusive locations. We hope that these 360° Photographs will show you the beauty of such masterpieces and allow you to appreciate them in detail!

The “Museo del ‘900” – 20th Century Museum

This Museum faces the stunning Piazza del Duomo offering a breath-taking view to its visitors. Located in the Arengario Palace, the Museo del ‘900 →is a treasure trove full of hundreds of paintings and sculptures created throughout the Twentieth Century. There you’ll be able to find masterpieces painted and sculpted by the most famous Italian artists: Boccioni, Modigliani, De Chirico, Fontana, Pelizza da Volpedo, Sironi, Marino Marini … Even international artists are well represented: you can admire paintings by Picasso, Kandinsky, Matisse, Mondrian …

The Duomo Museum, history of the Cathedral

Located in the Palazzo Reale building, in the heart of Piazza del Duomo, the Museo del Duomo di Milano → has been recently renovated and redecorated. Its fascinating structure allows any visitor to understand the different phases of the Duomo building process and to appreciate its unique history and details. One of the 360° panoramic Images focuses on the iconic stained glass windows, one of the many signature features of the Cathedral.

The Art Gallery “Le Gallerie d’Italia – Piazza Scala”

The Art Gallery Gallerie d’Italia – Piazza Scala → is a substantial part of the Museums and Cultural Venues Network managed by Intesa Sanpaolo that allows the general public to enjoy and access the art collections owned by the Bank. The museum, set up in three important historical buildings, overlooks Piazza della Scala. It hosts several items, mostly Italian art from the late Eighteenth Century, that are beautifully displayed in an amazing, high-profile context.

The La Scala Opera House Museum – Musical memories

The Teatro alla Scala → is one of the most important cultural institutions in Milan and one of the most famous theaters in the whole world. In 1816, the french author Stendhal wrote: “I’m leaving the La Scala Opera House. […] To me, this one is the best theater in the world, because it makes music awfully enjoyable. […] And its architecture… it’s impossible to imagine a larger, fresher, more grandiose building.” However, people often ignore that it houses a beautiful museum. We portrayed it with two 360° Photographs! It contains many memories that paint a detailed portrait of the La Scala Opera House and its musical history.

The Art Gallery “Pinacoteca Ambrosiana” – The Codex Atlanticus and much more

In the early years of the 17th Century Federico Borromeo, a famous Milanese Archbishop, founded the Biblioteca Ambrosiana and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana “to serve everyone”. The two Institutions are linked in the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana →. The Biblioteca Ambrosiana, praised by Galileo Galilei that defined it “heroic and immortal”, was one of the very first public libraries. It contains unique works, such as the Codex Atlanticus by Leonardo Da Vinci. It can be found in the Federiciana Hall (please see the 360° Photograph). The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, instead, contains paintings by Leonardo, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Tiziano, and many other authors, all beautifully displayed in a pleasant context.

The Museums of the Sforza Castle – Art, history and the Pietà Rondanini

The Sforza Castle Castello Sforzesco →, an imposing military citadel built in the Fifteenth Century, is one of the most important monuments in Milan and had a crucial role in the history of the city. Despite being one of the largest castles in Europe, it is located in the city center, just a few steps from the Duomo. In its vast halls, the castle hosts several Museums that enhance its value and its attractiveness, making it a real must-see for any tourist. The Pietà Rondanini by Michelangelo is perhaps its main feature, followed closely by the Historical Halls, with their Medieval relics, the large Pinacoteca and a string of other exhibitions.

The Modern Art Gallery “Galleria d’Arte Moderna” – In the heart of Villa Reale

The Gallery of Modern Art, GAM, is located in the breathtaking Villa Reale, a neoclassical masterpiece of the late Eighteenth Century enriched by an English-style garden. In this magnificent setting, many halls host a string of masterpieces by the protagonists of European Art: Hayez, Segantini, Balla, De Nittis, Boccioni, Appiani… Van Gogh, Picasso, Manet, Gauguin, Wildt … For more 360° Images see the Modern Art Gallery Galleria d’Arte Moderna in 3D →

The new Armani/Silos Museum – An ode to aesthetics

Milan is the city of fashion. To celebrate four decades of success in the fashion universe, Giorgio Armani opened Armani/Silos Museum →, that contains a wide selection of high-end clothing from the 1980s. The exhibition, divided into several sections that tell the history and aesthetics of the designer, is hosted by a rigorous, severe, dramatically simple structure. It used to be a warehouse, and has been completely renovated. Armani himself overviewed the redecorating process, and said: “I chose to call it Silos (silo) because we use them to store the grain we need to survive… And clothing is as necessary as grain” (Giorgio Armani).

The Archaeological Museum and the magnificent San Maurizio

The Archaeological Museum where once stood the Mediolanum, the Roman Milan, with its imperial Palace, walls and circus. They’re still noticeable today, as they left behind some sizeable and significant remains. The Museum collections, with hundreds of selected pieces, are exhibited in thematic halls. Each hall hosts remains from a different culture: Greek, Etruscan, Latin, medieval … The Museum is housed in an extraordinary architectural setting: the former convent of the Monastery Maggiore San Maurizio, founded in the eighth century AD and perfected in the following centuries. The main access to the museum is located in its first cloister. Next to it, it is possible to admire the wonderful San Maurizio Church: you can also visit it thanks to our 360° Image!

The Monumental Cemetery – An Open Air Museum

An unusual Museum, the Monumental Cemetery is not in the city center, but is still located inside the city. It has been built in the 19th Century, in an eclectic and peculiar style. Entering the Monumental Cemetery is a peaceful, silent experience for the general public. In the relaxing, green avenues lie tombs, gravestones and chapels of great artistic and historical value; many of the most influent people in Milan have been buried here. The main entrance is through the large central structure, that hosts the Famedio, a true Temple of Fame. Here many great Italians have been laid to rest or remembered: Alessandro Manzoni, Carlo Cattaneo, Arturo Toscanini…
 

To see other 360° Images of Milan >>> MILAN 360°