Milan's Top Museums, Galleries, and Churches for Art Enthusiasts

The Last Supper at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie

Perhaps Leonardo da Vinci's most famous work, "The Last Supper" (Cenacolo Vinciano in Italian), is located within the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie refectory.

As this is one of the most in-demand paintings in the world, the church now acts as a museum, only allowing approximately 20-25 patrons to enter at a time to view the fresco.

Not surprisingly, tickets can be difficult to secure and should be booked at least two months in advance, whenever possible.

Castello Sforzesco

Michelangelo's exquisite marble sculpture, Rondanini Pietà is located in the Pinacoteca of the Castello Sforzesco. This massive castle also houses a number of other museums, including a Museum of Ancient Art, a Museum of Musical Instruments, and the Archeological Museum, which has prehistoric and Egyptian sections.

Pinacoteca di Brera Gallery

The Pinacoteca di Brera, part of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, is Milan's premier fine arts gallery, boasting paintings by both Italian and international artists including the likes of Raphael, Bellini, Bronzino, Mantegna, and Tiepolo, as well as Rubens, Braque, Hayez, and Van Dyck.

Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum

The Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Technologia Leonardo da Vinci is Italy's largest science and technology museum. In addition to housing the Leonardo Gallery, which contains some of Leonardo da Vinci's original drawings and numerous models of his scientific innovations, the museum has interactive labs, a submarine exhibit, and a section devoted to science for young children.

Pinacoteca and Biblioteca Ambrosiana

The oldest museum in Milan houses priceless works by artists like Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) and Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and also contains the cartoon for the Raphael's The School of Athens, one of the highlights of the Vatican Museum.

The adjacent library is most famous for having Leonardo da Vinci's Codice Atlantico, a collection of almost 2,000 drawings and notes from the Renaissance master.

Palazzo Reale

The Royal Palace of Milan was the seat of government for the city for many centuries but now serves as a cultural center and art museum.

Used mostly to host temporary art exhibitions, the Palazzo Reale is also the home of the Civico Museo D'Arte Contemporanea, also called CIMAC. CIMAC features works of the 20th century, including collections of Surrealist and Futurist art.