On December 8th, after more than fifty years, a Milanese dream will finally be realised: the opening of Palazzo Citterio and the birth of Grande Brera. This new cultural hub will now encompass the renowned Pinacoteca di Brera, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Botanical Garden and the Nazionale Braidense Library.

The Pinacoteca di Brera, one of the world’s most significant art museums, has long faced a lack of space to adequately showcase its vast collection. For this reason, efforts to integrate the Pinacoteca with Palazzo Citterio, located at Via Brera 12, have been underway for decades. This historic palazzo is now set to become the museum’s dedicated 20th-century art wing.

Here, Palazzo Citterio's newly-designed spaces, created by Mario Cucinella (recent recipient of the Compasso d’Oro award for his work on the Fondazione Luigi Rovati art museum), will host the Jesi and Vitali collections. These comprise masterpieces by the likes of Modigliani, Boccioni, Carrà, Morandi, Sironi, Marino Marini, Picasso and de Pisis, alongside precious archaeological artifacts. The first hall, dedicated to the late 19th Century, will exhibit Pellizza da Volpedo’s Fiumana, a preparatory work for his iconic Quarto Stato (The Fourth Estate), which is currently housed at the GAM – Galleria d’Arte Moderna.

Amongst the treasures displayed at Palazzo Citterio are Zavattini’s captivating portraits and the Fantasies by Mario Mafai. Visitors will also find an exhibition dedicated to the history of Grande Brera itself, focusing on the architectural evolution of Palazzo di Brera from its origins in the Middle Ages - when it served as a monastery of the Humiliati Order - to the present day, alongside an exhibition of works by Mario Ceroli.