Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan

Museo Poldi Pezzoli in Milan was founded as a private collection. Nowadays, it contains many works of art and decorative objects. Due to the quantity and quality of the exhibits, the collection is one of the most significant in Italy, and the museum itself has become one of the most famous museum houses in the world.

Museum history

The founder of the collection, Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli, along with the burden of collecting art, also inherited a mansion in the center of Milan from his father. Reaching maturity in 1846, the collector began his journey with the acquisition of a collection of weapons and armor, which was very popular at the time.

In 1851-1853, the architect Giuseppe Balzaretto rebuilt the palace in accordance with the requirements of the owner. The dwelling was designed in a peculiar way as a kind of container for future collections. The halls were decorated by the artist Giuseppe Bertini, who later became the first director of the museum. Gian Giacomo continued the expansion of the collection, he acquired various works of art until his death in 1879. Gian bequeathed his collection to the Pinacoteca di Brera, in order for it to grow into an artistic foundation.

On April 25, 1881, the museum was opened to visitors. In 1939, in connection with the outbreak of the World War II, a much richer exposition was transported to a safe place. And in August 1943, the palace was destroyed during the bombing. In 1946, the restoration of the museum began, and on December 3, 1951, it was again open to the general public. Since then, thanks to donations of about 1,000 exhibits, the museum has increased its collection and influence.

Museum exposition

There is a huge number of exhibits in the collections of the Museo Poldi Pezzoli. Among them there are paintings and sculptures, fabrics and tapestries, medieval weapons and armor, glass, ceramics and porcelain, textiles, jewels and objects of decorative and applied arts, as well as a rich collection of watches. The entire collection is located on 2 floors of the palace. Its halls and rooms were carefully restored in accordance with the original appearance and purpose. On the ground floor there are:

• Armory. This is the first part of the Poldi Pezzoli collection. The hall was made in the solemn Neo-Gothic style. The Italian parade armor of the 16th century from Milan and Brescia, as well as firearms from the 16th and 17th centuries from Germany are of particular importance among the many exhibits.
• Hall of fresco. Received the name from a large fresco on the ceiling by Carlo Innocenzo Carloni, which used to decorate one of the villas in Bergamo. There is a large Persian carpet of 1542 on the wall. It often hosts temporary exhibitions, lectures and conferences.
• Hall of textiles. There is a collection of fabrics and carpets, as well as temporary exhibitions.
• Lace room. It holds a collection of lace and embroidery, provided by noble Milanese ladies. Thanks to them, you can track fashion trends from the 16th to the 20th century.
• Library. It is one of the most important private libraries in the city. It includes more than 3,500 volumes of the 15th – 19th century. Among them there are books on theology, philosophy, history, geography, Italian and Latin literature.

A beautiful spiral staircase leads to the second floor. The marble fountain is located below it. In the niches of the staircase there are restored statues, allegorically representing prudence, war, pity, faith, wisdom and theocracy. On the second floor there are about 20 rooms with important collections. Usually the following are to singled out among them:

• Watch collection. It was opened in 1973 and has 129 exhibits. Most of them are mechanical clocks of the 16th – 19th century, but there are also sundials.
• Picture gallery. The collection of paintings is located in several rooms. It includes many paintings by famous Italian and foreign artists.
• Golden room. It is the historic room of the house, but most of its decorations were lost during the Second World War. The masterpieces of the museum's art collections: Ritratto di giovane dama by Antonio del Polayolo, Pietà by Giovanni Bellini, Compianto sul Cristo morto by Sandro Botticelli, Crocifisso by Raphael are situated here.
• Collection of porcelain and glass. It holds almost 1000 exhibits. Among them, 640 pieces of porcelain and majolica, as well as about 200 pieces of glass. Murano glass occupies a special place among the latter.
• Dante's room. In the past, it was a personal room of a collector and is a prime example of clever decoration. All decorations are dedicated to the poet Dante Alighieri. Poldi Pezzoli kept the most important exhibits of the collection here.
• Jewelry Hall. In the past, it was a bathroom. Today, more than 200 vintage pieces of jewelry are stored here.
• Black room It was a collector’s living room and it was named like this because of its original decoration in dark colors. In the past, decorations in it were made of ivory. Nowadays, sculptures are exhibited here. Among them, Faith in God by Lorenzo Bartolini and Marriage of the Virgin by Giovanni Angelo Del Maino.

The museum holds 3 types of temporary exhibitions. They are associated with the history of art works collecting, exhibits of the museum’s collections, their restoration, as well as with the interpretation of modern art works. Recently, the museum held exhibitions that explore the relationship between applied art and modern design. The museum also organizes a number of activities related to its current exhibitions: concerts, lectures, meetings, tours and workshops for children.

How to get there

The Museo Poldi Pezzoli is located almost in the very center of Milan, on Via Alessandro Manzoni, 12. Not far from it there are the Palace Marino, the famous La Scala Theater and its museum. World famous Milan Cathedral and Piazza del Duomo are located very close by. At the distance of 200 meters there is a Montenapoleone stop. It can be reached by tram 1, as well as by metro, Yellow Line (line 3).

Opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00. It is closed on Tuesday. Ticket office closes at 17:30. Phone number (+39) 0279 48896334.

Admission: the price of a full ticket is 10 euros. For visitors over 65 – 7 euros, for children (11–18) and students – 4.5 euros, for school groups – 3 euros. For children under 11 – admission is free. Data on the cost of admission and opening hours may vary.