Table Of Contents
- What to do for free in Milan? Visit one museum a week
- Museums always free in Milan
- Palazzo Morando: a plunge into the Milan of yesteryear
- Palazzo Moriggia-Museum of the Risorgimento: the history of Italian unification.
- Boschi di Stefano House-Museum: a jewel of 20th-century art.
- Spazio Alda Merini: tribute to the poetess of the Navigli
- Casa Verdi: the home of the great composer
- Mangini Bonomi Museum: a journey through time.
- Martinitt and Stelline Museum: history of child care.
- Typewriter Museum: discovering a technology of the past
- Pirelli HangarBicocca: contemporary art in an industrial space.
- Monumental Cemetery: an open-air museum
- Free exhibitions Milan: temporary events not to be missed
- Tips for planning your visit to the free museums in Milan
Milan is a city with an amazing artistic and historical heritage, which we all have the opportunity to admire without having to spend a euro: in fact, the City Council has arranged for a number of museums to be open to the public free of charge every day.
This guide will take you through the halls of these fascinating institutions, allowing you to immerse yourself in the cultural richness of the city at no cost.
Let’s discover together the always free museums in Milan, a unique opportunity to enrich your mind and soul without emptying your wallet.
What to do for free in Milan? Visit one museum a week
Milan’s free museums are not only an attraction for tourists, but also a valuable resource for residents who wish to explore their city’s heritage. This initiative is one of the free activities available in the city, and the most surprising thing is that we are not talking about free admission on the first Sunday of the month or on Museum Day, but about cultural centers open for free every day of the year!
Museums always free in Milan
Palazzo Morando: a plunge into the Milan of yesteryear
Located in the heart of the city, Palazzo Morando offers a journey back in time through the history of Milan. Its rooms house a rich collection of paintings, furniture and costumes that tell the story of the city’s evolution from the 17th to the 20th century. Since 2010 Palazzo Morando has housed the prestigious Costume and Fashion Collection of the City of Milan, which includes a wide range of clothing and accessories ranging from the 17th century to the dawn of the 21st.
⏱️ Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
📍Address: Via Sant’Andrea, 6.
Palazzo Moriggia-Museum of the Risorgimento: the history of Italian unification.
The Risorgimento Museum, housed in the 18th-century Palazzo Moriggia, offers a journey through the crucial events that led to Italian unification. Documents, memorabilia and works of art narrate the events of the Risorgimento that saw the city of Milan as a protagonist.
⏱️ Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
📍Address: Via Borgonuovo, 23.
Boschi di Stefano House-Museum: a jewel of 20th-century art.
This fascinating house-museum holds an extraordinary collection of 20th-century Italian art, donated to the city by Mr. and Mrs. Boschi Di Stefano. A unique opportunity to admire works by artists such as Fontana, De Chirico and Sironi.
⏱️ Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
📍Address: Via Giorgio Jan, 15.
Spazio Alda Merini: tribute to the poetess of the Navigli
Dedicated to the famous Milanese poetess, this space offers an immersion into the creative world of Alda Merini. Manuscripts, photographs and personal objects recount the life and work of this iconic figure in contemporary Italian poetry.
⏱️ Opening hours: Thursday through Sunday, 4-7 p.m.
📍Address: Via Magolfa, 30.
Casa Verdi: the home of the great composer
Founded by Giuseppe Verdi as a retirement home for musicians, Casa Verdi offers free guided tours by appointment. A unique opportunity to explore the rooms where the famous composer lived and discover interesting facts about his life.
⏱️ Opening hours: the Verdi crypt is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the museum rooms and the Hall of Honor can be visited by reservation only.
📍Address: Piazza Buonarroti, 29.
Mangini Bonomi Museum: a journey through time.
This small museum housed in an 18th-century building offers an extraordinary collection of “objects and tools of life that tell the way of life of the past.” If you love antique clocks, period furniture, and precious objects, this museum that tells the story of Milanese collecting will enter your heart.
⏱️ Opening hours: Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
📍Address: Via dell’Ambrosiana, 20.
Martinitt and Stelline Museum: history of child care.
This museum tells the story of Milan’s orphanages and childcare from the 16th century to the present day, offering a unique and decidedly emotional glimpse into the city’s social history.
⏱️ Opening hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
📍Address: Corso Magenta, 57.
Typewriter Museum: discovering a technology of the past
The Typewriter Museum is a unique museum founded in 2006 by Umberto Di Donato in Milan’s Isola district. It houses 1,800 machines, including rare models such as the Caligraph 1882, the Williams 1887, unique pieces such as a Chinese typewriter from the 1920s and the Olympia with SS character, and machines that belonged to famous people such as Francesco Cossiga and Matilde Serao.
⏱️ Opening hours: Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 3-7 p.m.
📍Address: Via Menabrea, 10.
Pirelli HangarBicocca: contemporary art in an industrial space.
Pirelli HangarBicocca is an exceptional institution dedicated to contemporary art, offering a unique and completely free experience. It hosts temporary exhibitions by Italian and international artists, conceived in close relationship with the building’s architecture. In addition to the exhibitions, Pirelli HangarBicocca offers a rich program of collateral events, workshops for children and educational activities, making contemporary art accessible to a wide and diverse audience. The presence of cultural mediators is, in our opinion, one of its strengths because it encourages dialogue between the public and the works on display, enriching the visiting experience.
⏱️ Opening hours: Thursday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
📍Address: Via Chiese, 2.
Monumental Cemetery: an open-air museum
Milan’s Monumental Cemetery is an extraordinary architectural and sculptural complex that offers free guided tours by appointment. As you walk through the tree-lined avenues of this resting place (which covers an area of more than 250,000 square meters!), you find yourself immersed in a display of works of art ranging from the late 19th century to the present day. In addition to the tombs of historic Milanese families, true masterpieces of architecture and design, and sculptures by renowned artists such as Giò Ponti, Lucio Fontana, and Medardo Rosso, you can admire the majestic Famedio, the central building that houses the tombs of Alessandro Manzoni and Carlo Cattaneo.
⏱️ Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
📍Address: Piazzale Cimitero Monumentale.
Free exhibitions Milan: temporary events not to be missed
In addition to the museums that are always free, Milan often offers free temporary exhibitions in various exhibition spaces around the city. It is advisable to regularly consult museum websites and the Milan City Council portal to stay up-to-date on free admissions Milan museums and no-cost cultural events.
The special case of Mudec: when admission is free
MUDEC (Museum of Cultures) deserves a special mention. Although it is not always free, it regularly offers free admission days for its permanent collections. Mudec free admission is an unmissable opportunity to explore world cultures through objects, artworks and testimonies from different continents.
⏱️ Opening hours: Monday 2:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Thursday and Saturday 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
📍Address: 56 Tortona Street.
Tips for planning your visit to the free museums in Milan
- Check the hours: even if admission is free, respect the opening hours of each museum and that of the last admission.
- Book in advance: some museums require reservations, especially for guided tours or during busy times.
- Inquire about restrictions: some museums may restrict photos or not allow entry with oversized bags.
- Plan an itinerary: many of these museums are close together, allowing you to visit more than one in a day.
- Take advantage of special days: some normally paid museums offer free admission on special occasions.
Don’t miss this opportunity: visit Milan’s free museums and be surprised by the cultural richness the city has to offer. Each visit is a step toward a greater understanding of our heritage and an opportunity to enrich your cultural background. Enjoy your exploration!