The Pinacoteca di Brera of Milan finally re-opened on the 9th June 2020, after the long closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Director James Bradburne has announced that the entrance fee will be waived for the entire summer period, as a thank you gesture to the city and people of Milan, whom, he said, constantly offered their support and affection throughout the months of the crisis. “If the Brera is the heart of Milan, the Milanese are in the heart of the Brera”, he said, commenting on the unique affection and sense of participation Italians feel for their remarkable cultural heritage.
The Brera Collection, housed in the 24,000 sqm Palazzo Brera, contains one of the most important collections of Italian art with iconic masterpieces such as Mantegna's “Dead Christ and Three Mourners”, Giovanni Bellini's “Pieta”, Raphael's “Marriage of the Virgin”, Caravaggio's “Supper at Emmaus”, Piero della Francesca's “The Virgin, Child, Angels and Saints”, Francesco Hayez “The Kiss” and the marching peasants of “The Human Flood” by Pelizza Da Volpedo, to mention just a few.
The Brera Palace also houses the important Braidense National Library, the Brera Observatory, the Lombardy Institute of Science and Literature and the historical Botanical Garden. Originally founded in 1776 by the Empress Maria Teresa of Austria as the Academy of Fine Arts, it has had a chequered history, including serious bomb damage during the last war, when the ceilings of 26 of its 38 rooms collapsed.
Prior booking is required to visit the Brera and visitors must adhere to the safety precautions in place. Full explanations will be provided on the website.
Info: Tel.+39.02.72263264 www.pinacotecabrera.org