The Poldi Pezzoli Museum is an intimate art museum in Milan, set in the former home of collector Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli on Via Manzoni. Behind its discreet entrance near the Quadrilatero della Moda, decorated rooms combine Renaissance paintings with furniture, textiles, jewellery, ceramics and other objects collected for an aristocratic residence.
Poldi Pezzoli assembled the collection in the nineteenth century, and the museum opened to the public in 1881, two years after his death. Badly damaged by bombing in 1943, the house was restored after the war. Its best-known work is Antonio del Pollaiolo’s Portrait of a Young Woman, while paintings by Botticelli, Bellini and Mantegna add to the appeal for Renaissance art lovers.
The pleasure here is in moving between masterpieces and the smaller details of a collector’s world, from historic clocks to the armoury. Allow around 90 minutes to two hours, and consider pairing the museum with the nearby Museo Bagatti Valsecchi. Montenapoleone metro station is a short walk away; check the official website for current opening hours and tickets, and confirm accessibility arrangements in advance if you need step-free access.