MUSEO DEL 900
A perfect panoramic shot of the Duomo and its square taken from two palaces that keep twentieth-century Italian art is possible: Museum of the Twentieth Century
MUSEUM
Andrea, what is the Museo del Novecento?
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It is one of my favorite museums in Milan, housed inside the Palace of Arengario and the adjacent Royal Palace of Milan (both buildings are connected by a bridge). However, I don’t like the museum just because it gathers all the Italian twentieth-century art, but also because the restructuring of the Palace of Arengario is extraordinary, offering a wonderful perspective of the Duomo and square.
In your opinion, what is the most representative work of art from the museum?
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The most important piece of art in the museum is the beautiful Neon by Lucio Fontana made in 1956. You’ll find it at the end of the museum, on the last floor, this art piece is also visible from the Duomo Square, when it’s dark outside, being visually spectacular and impressive, and perfectly ending the museum route through the twentieth-century Italian art.
What is the purpose of this museum?
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The purpose of the museum is to spread knowledge about twentieth-century Italian art and this interior spiral, the latter invites to this journey of discovery through the painting on the first floor “Quarto Stato” by Pelizza da Volpedo, and then keeps going upwards to find art movements like Futurism, Metaphysical, Gruppo Forma 1, and the Italian Transavantgarde.
Is it difficult to imagine how some old palaces house contemporary art, how did they manage to do it?
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In respect of this, it is important to notice that the museum was opened in 2010 and its renovation has left the façade intact unlike its interior. The internal remodeling is very interesting because a crystal spiral staircase has been inserted in order to make the trip between the first floor, or in fact, the metro station that is in the interior of the building, and the terrace a pleasant experience.