Musei del Castello Sforzesco

About the museum

The Castello Sforzesco stands on the site of a 14th-century Visconti fortification, the Castello di Porta Giovia, which was destroyed in 1447 by the Ambrosian Republic. Francesco Sforza began its reconstruction in 1450 and made it his residence; under Ludovico il Moro the castle became one of the most splendid courts in Europe, and artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Bramante worked there.

After the end of the Sforza duchy the castle came under Spanish and then Austrian rule, and was transformed into a large military citadel. Under Napoleon its demolition was decided, but only partly carried out. In the 19th century it was debated whether to demolish it entirely; instead, the restoration in historicist style directed by Luca Beltrami between 1890 and 1905 prevailed, including the reconstruction of the Torre del Filarete.

Today the castle houses the civic museums of the City of Milan: the Museo d'Arte Antica e Armeria, the Museo dei Mobili e delle Sculture Lignee, the Pinacoteca, the Museo delle Arti Decorative, the Museo degli Strumenti Musicali and the Galleria Antico Egitto. The Museo Pietà Rondanini Michelangelo, in the former Ospedale Spagnolo beside the Cortina di Santo Spirito, houses the artist's last sculpture.

The collections belong to the City of Milan, which also runs the affiliated institutions: the Gabinetto dei Disegni, the Raccolta delle stampe Achille Bertarelli, the Archivio Storico Civico and the Biblioteca Trivulziana.

Highlights

• Rondanini Pietà, Michelangelo's last sculpture
• Tomb of Bernabò Visconti (Bonino da Campione)
• Madonna in Glory and Saints by Andrea Mantegna in the Pinacoteca
• Trivulzio tapestries of the twelve months designed by Bramantino
• Passalacqua cabinet in the Museo dei Mobili e delle Sculture Lignee
• Panoramic battlements and the Strada Coperta della Ghirlanda (secret routes)

Permanent exhibitions

• Museo d'Arte Antica e Armeria – Medieval and Renaissance Lombard sculpture, including the Tomb of Bernabò Visconti, and a collection of arms and armour.
• Pinacoteca – Paintings from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, including the Mantegna altarpiece from the Trivulzio collection.
• Museo Pietà Rondanini Michelangelo – Space in the former Ospedale Spagnolo dedicated to the Rondanini Pietà, Michelangelo's last sculpture.

Founded

1862

Operated by

Comune di Milano

Visitors per year

approx. 582,101

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month free for everyone; second Tuesday of the month free for visitors up to 25 years.

The ticket is valid for the whole day, allows one entry to each section, and covers all the museums of the Castle, the Galleria Antico Egitto and the Museo Pietà Rondanini. Also free for licensed EU tour guides, officials of the Ministry of Culture, teachers, ICOM members and holders of the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia, Tourism MuseumCard and Milano Museo Card; exempt visitors must also collect an entry ticket. The ticket is non-refundable.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Architectural barriers can be overcome in different ways depending on the area, with ramps and lifts; room 20 of the Pinacoteca can only be reached by six steps. Two wheelchairs can be requested at the ticket office of the Museo d'Arte Antica, leaving an identity document. In the square area there are parking spaces for people with disabilities displaying the appropriate permit. Only guide dogs and therapy animals are admitted to the museums.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The website offers routes for schools, groups and children, and a guide map designed for the youngest visitors.

Getting there & parking

The area in front of the fountain is pedestrian-only, and the museum is inside the ZTL (Area C). The Museo Pietà Rondanini has its entrance at the Cortina di Santo Spirito, in the former Ospedale Spagnolo.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Bookshop at the entrance to the Museo d'Arte Antica.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit