Milano's Sormani Library to Be Repurposed as Cultural Hub After BEIC Opens

The Milan city council has approved a policy directive ensuring that Palazzo Sormani, home to the historic Biblioteca Sormani, will retain a cultural function after the library moves to the new BEIC (European Library of Information and Communication) building, expected to be fully operational by spring 2027. The BEIC, currently under construction, will become Milan's central library, a role the Sormani has held since 1956. The council's directive, passed in March 2026, mandates that the palazzo—partly 16th- and 18th-century, partly rebuilt by architect Arrigo Arrighetti after WWII bombings—cannot become offices, storage, or be sold without maintaining a cultural use, consistent with its vocation since 1935. The article proposes transforming the Sormani into a kunsthalle for young artists under 40, curated by under-40 curators, with temporary exhibitions, a sculpture garden in the Giardino Mondadori, a cinema-theater, coworking spaces, a café, and a bookstore, open from noon to midnight. This would complement the nearby Museo del Novecento expansion and leverage the pedestrianized area around Via Larga and Largo Augusto, creating a museum cluster akin to Vienna's MuseumsQuartier or Berlin's Museumsinsel. The proposal also suggests a return to the building's origins as a museum (1935–1940). The future of the Sormani is expected to become a campaign issue in Milan's 2027 municipal elections.