Villa del Balbianello

About the museum

On the tip of the wooded Lavedo peninsula, a Franciscan convent had stood since the 13th century. At the end of the 18th century the Milanese cardinal Angelo Maria Durini transformed it into a place of leisure and study, and had the luminous panoramic Loggia built.

Over the centuries the villa belonged to families who were protagonists of the Risorgimento, such as the Porro Lambertenghi and the Arconati Visconti, then to the philanthropist Marie Peyrat and to the American general Butler Ames. In 1974 it was bought by the entrepreneur, collector and explorer Guido Monzino, the first Italian to reach the summit of Everest, who on his death left it to the FAI. The Foundation has managed it since 1988.

The interiors preserve 18th-century French furnishings, collections of non-European art, silverware, ceramics and Beauvais tapestries. In the attic is set up the Museo delle Spedizioni, with flags, photographs, ethnographic finds and the largest collection of Inuit ivories outside Greenland, together with the sledge used in the 1971 North Pole expedition. The garden alternates elaborate pruning, avenues with statues and panoramic terraces.

Highlights

• Museo delle Spedizioni with the North Pole sledge of 1971
• Collection of Inuit ivories
• Loggia Durini with a wind rose in the floor
• Garden with artistic pruning
• 18th-century French furnishings and Beauvais tapestries

Permanent exhibitions

• Museo delle Spedizioni – Museum in the attic with mementos of Guido Monzino’s expeditions, ethnographic finds and Inuit ivories.
• Interni della villa – Rooms with 18th-century French furnishings, non-European collections, silverware, ceramics and Beauvais tapestries, visitable with a guided tour.

Founded

1787

Operated by

FAI – Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano

Visitors per year

approx. 169,725

Admission & discounts

The main price refers to the Villa and Park ticket, which is needed to see the interiors and the Museo delle Spedizioni. These can only be visited with a 50-minute guided tour in Italian or English (groups of at most 16 people). The Park-only ticket allows unaccompanied visits to the garden, terraces and Loggia Durini. The tour time is announced at the ticket office when the ticket is stamped (maximum wait 60 minutes). Online purchase has no additional costs; prices may vary during events. Journalists with accreditation enter free.

Accessibility

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

The villa and park are partly accessible to people with reduced mobility or using wheelchairs: the park paths are sloping and partly gravel, and entering the villa involves one step. The villa has a cabin lift that serves some floors. It is advisable to contact staff in advance. With prior notice, you can reach the ticket office at the road entrance by car, or come by taxi boat from the Lido di Lenno. In the park, dogs are admitted on a lead; in the rooms only guide and assistance dogs with certification.

Kids & families

The villa is accessible to families with children, thanks to the baby carriers provided; ticket staff indicate where to leave the pushchair. The walking route from Lenno is not suitable for pushchairs.

Getting there & parking

It is not possible to reach the villa by car. From Lenno it is about 25 minutes on foot (1 km uphill, partly on gravel), or 45 minutes on the 2.5 km trekking route. Alternatively, a paid taxi boat can be taken from the Lido di Lenno (not run by the FAI; by booking only).

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available

There is no café on the property; the bookshop has water, soft drinks and small snacks. There is no left-luggage service: visitors are advised not to bring bulky luggage.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit