Grande Brera

In December 2024, the opening of Palazzo Citterio finally realizes the dream of the Grande Brera, expanding the Pinacoteca and enriching Milan’s artistic and cultural offerings. With historical collections, exhibition spaces for modern and contemporary art, and a vast urban garden, the Grande Brera establishes itself as the cultural heart of the city, a symbol of an avant-garde project.

With the opening of Palazzo Citterio in December 2024, the more than 50-year wait to realize the Grande Brera, a project conceived in the 1970s by superintendents Gian Alberto Dell’Acqua and Franco Russoli, comes to an end. This new space will allow the Pinacoteca di Brera to expand its cultural offerings, placing masterpieces of ancient art alongside collections of modern and contemporary art, such as the prestigious Jesi and Vitali collections, which include works by Boccioni, Modigliani, Morandi and Picasso.

Palazzo Citterio, with its Brutalist hypogeum designed by James Stirling, will host not only permanent exhibitions but also temporary events, helping to make Brera a cultural hub of international excellence. The structure will be connected to the Orto Botanico, creating a large green space that crosses the Brera district and connects to the Quadrilatero della Moda, to offer a unique itinerary between art, history, fashion and design.

The Grande Brera project emphasizes the importance of preserving the artistic and historical identity of the district, which was a center of the avant-garde in the 1960s, and aims to make it the cultural hub of Milan and Italy. With the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Braidense National Library, the Academy of Fine Arts and other prestigious institutions, Brera is preparing to consolidate its position as a European cultural center of global significance. New scientific projects and collaborations, such as the Pinacoteca’s diagnostic laboratory, also strengthen the commitment to innovation and research in the field of cultural heritage.