New Milan Museum Palazzo Citterio Opens With Temple Donated by Salone del Mobile.Milano
Having already hosted exhibitions and VIP parties for the worlds of fashion and design, the Via Brera landmark cultural hub was finally revealed in its entirety on Friday.
MILAN — After a half a century of red tape and a revolving door of architectural firms, Milan’s hotly anticipated cultural landmark Palazzo Citterio is finally open. A museum for modern and contemporary art, the 18th-century building was inaugurated Friday on Via Brera 12. Palazzo Citterio also marks the completion of Grande Brera, a cultural complex pilastered by the Milan museum the Pinacoteca di Brera and the expansive Braidense Library.
Plans for Palazzo Citterio first started in 1972, when the government purchased the building following a request by Franco Russoli, the then-director of the Pinacoteca.
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The property now spans 70,000 square feet over three floors and houses works by Amedeo Modigliani, modernist Mario Sironi and Pellizza da Volpedo’s monumental painting “Fiumana.” The latter served as the backdrop for the inaugural press conference, which included Angelo Crespi, the Pinacoteca’s current director, who was visibly moved and commented on how Milan’s Pinacoteca together with the museum that houses Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” attract visitor numbers competitive to that of the Colosseum and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Prior to the opening, parts of the palazzo had already begun hosting events, such as Dior‘s collaboration with Philippe Starck during Milan Design Week in 2023. In June of this year, Swarovski unveiled its exhibition“Swarovski — Masters of Light: From Vienna to Milan,” and threw an exclusive party inside its halls. Vogue Italia also held its 60th anniversary party there in September.
The basement level, designed by British architect James Stirling in the late 1980s, currently houses a retrospective by Italian sculptor Mario Ceroli.
Architect Mario Cucinella designed the ground floor of Palazzo Citterio, including the main hall, courtyard and first floor. Trade show organizers Salone del Mobile.Milano donated a “Tempietto” (Italian for small temple), which was also designed by Mario Cucinella Architects and is situated prominently in the courtyard. Built with wood, the structure was inspired by Raphael’s “Marriage of the Virgin.”
“This project isn’t just an installation, but a symbol of welcome and connection, in which history and the contemporary world are interwoven to create new community experiences,” said Cucinella, who attended the press conference, adding that the new museum and the Grande Brera complex renders the art and culture native to Milan visible and accessible to the world.
Salone del Mobile.Milano organizers said that during the upcoming 63rd edition of the design fair, which will run April 8 to 13, the courtyard of the Accademia di Brera — the city’s fine arts academy — will host an art installation supported once again by Salone.
Salone del Mobile.Milano president Maria Porro enthused that, “Our participation in the Grande Brera is not just a celebration of art, but an investment in the future of our community, inspiring new generations to dream and create visionary projects.…Seeing this place grow is really exciting.”
