Pinoteca Ambrosiana

Pinoteca Ambrosiana, one of Milan’s greatest art museums, was founded already in 1618 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, who donated his art collection to the eponymous library (established about ten years earlier). The library is worth a special mention, as it was only the second public library to ever open in Europe (in 1609). 

The institution offered free cultural and artistic training to anyone with artistic or intellectual capabilities. This is quite a nice idea – to make available an archive of some of the world’s finest art, to inspire new generations to develop their skills, so that the culture of the world can continue to grow. 

Since 2009, it has the world’s largest collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and writings, including over 1,000 pages of his Codex Atlanticus, as well as many explanations of his inventions. 

The museum’s art collection includes several paintings by da Vinci, Titian, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Cerano, Caravaggio, and Botticelli (among many other masters). 

The museum is full of curiosities, including the work of Virgilio that once belonged to Petrarca (complete with an original glossary to make it easier to read), and a lock of hair that once belonged to Lucrezia Borgia. Daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei, Borgia was one of the most famous politicians and intellectuals of her time, known equally for her wits and beauty. 

The exhibitions follow a chronological trajectory, beginning with the collections of Cardinal Federico and ending in the early 20th century. All in all, the museum holds more than 1,500 works of art. 

Pinoteca Ambrosiana

Milan, Italy