Housed in an elegant Milanese mansion which used to be the residence of a private collector to whom the museum is named after, Poldi Pezzoli is a museum and gallery with permanent exhibitions that vary from paintings to sculpture and from armory to clocks. Right in the commercial heart of Milan, in a beautifully renovated 17th century building you can see collections of weapons, armor, trophies, ceramics, sculpture,furnishings, mechanical watches, porcelain, textiles, fans, jewerely and paintings. All items, organized according to theme, are beautifully displayed in a way that not only doesn’t bore you but increases your interest the further you explore the collections. Though small in numbers its treasures are masterpieces, especially paintings like Botticelli’s Virgin Mary with baby Jesus and the book, Dead Christ among Saints, Hayez’s self portrait among friends and works by Mantegna, Bellini, Canaletto and Lucas Cranach. The neoclassical building itself is also worth noticing, especially original parts and rooms like the small private studio of Poldi Pezzoli with the original arrangement of his collection of precious works of applied arts. A baroque monumental staircase with a small fountain next to it connects the two floors. The museum often houses periodic exhibitions which are included in ticket price and are also worth attending.
Museo Poldi Pezzoli: Via Alessandro Manzoni 12, Milan
