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Museums in Milan

Museums in Milan

Old Master galleries, Leonardo's science workshop and free modern-art villas — the museums worth your time.

Milan's museums range from Old Master picture galleries to Leonardo's engineering workshop and some of Europe's boldest contemporary art. Most sit within the walkable centre, and several are free — or free on the first Sunday of the month. Here are the ones worth planning around.

Quick answer
Which museums are free in Milan?
The GAM (Galleria d'Arte Moderna) is free year-round. Many civic museums — including the Museo del Novecento and the Castello Sforzesco museums — are free on the first Sunday of each month, and often on certain weekday evenings.
By Ivanka García Mancebo, Civitatis travel specialist

Milan's museums

Pinacoteca di Brera
Old Masters
Pinacoteca di Brera
Milan's great picture gallery in bohemian Brera — Raphael, Caravaggio, Mantegna and Bellini across 38 rooms.
Pinacoteca Ambrosiana
Historic
Pinacoteca Ambrosiana
Milan's oldest museum (1618) — Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, Caravaggio's Basket of Fruit and Raphael's School of Athens cartoon.
Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia
Science
Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia
Italy's largest science museum, built around models of Leonardo's machines, with a submarine and steam trains. Great for families.
Galleria d'Arte Moderna (GAM)
Free
Galleria d'Arte Moderna (GAM)
Nineteenth-century art in the neoclassical Villa Reale, with works by Hayez, Segantini and the Impressionist circle. Free entry.
Museo Poldi Pezzoli
House-museum
Museo Poldi Pezzoli
An aristocrat's collection of arms, clocks, textiles and Old Masters, kept in his own richly decorated 19th-century palazzo.
Triennale di Milano
Design
Triennale di Milano
Italy's museum of design and architecture, with a permanent design collection and changing exhibitions, set in Parco Sempione.
Milan Archaeological Museum
Ancient
Milan Archaeological Museum
Roman, Greek, Etruscan and medieval Milan, housed in a former monastery beside the church of San Maurizio.
Planning your visit

Book the Last Supper weeks ahead — slots are timed and sell out fast. Most museums close on Mondays, and many civic museums are free on the first Sunday of the month (expect crowds). If you'll visit several, a tourist card can bundle entries with transport — see tickets & travel cards.

Skip the queues
Museum tickets & guided tours

The Last Supper, Brera, the Duomo museum and more — with skip-the-line entry and expert guides.

See activities

Frequently asked questions

The GAM (Galleria d'Arte Moderna) is free year-round. Many civic museums — including the Museo del Novecento and the Castello Sforzesco museums — are free on the first Sunday of each month, and often on certain weekday evenings.
Yes — it's essential. Viewings are in timed 15-minute slots for just 40 people, and tickets routinely sell out weeks ahead. Book online as early as you can, or join a guided tour that includes entry.
Most museums close on Mondays, including Brera and the Last Supper. Always check individual opening hours, as some vary by season and a few close on other days instead.
Entry typically runs €5–17. The Last Supper is around €15, Brera €15 and the science museum €10. Several major galleries are free, and tourist cards can bundle entries with transport if you plan to visit many.
Top attractions The Last Supper Monuments & attractions Opening times Two-day itinerary Tickets & travel cards