Palazzo Citterio Restored and Reopened in Milan, Expanding Brera Museum Complex

Palazzo Citterio, an 18th-century building in Milan's Brera district, has been restored and reopened after 31 months of work, marking a milestone for the Grande Brera project. The 6,500-square-meter space will house the Pinacoteca di Brera's 20th-century collections, temporary exhibitions, conference rooms, a bookshop, and a café. A garden with sculptures will connect to the Orto Botanico, linking Palazzo Citterio to the Pinacoteca. The restoration cost 23 million euros, funded by CIPE in 2012, and involved MiBACT, the Soprintendenza per i beni architettonici e paesaggistici di Milano, and the municipal administration led by Mayor Beppe Sala. Key figures include Caterina Bon Valsassina, who unblocked the project, and Marco Minoja, who praised the rapid execution. Notably, James Bradburne, director of the Pinacoteca di Brera, declined a seat at the press conference table, stating he arrived in Milan only two years ago and did not want to overshadow those who worked on the project for decades. The handover of spaces to the Pinacoteca is expected by June 2018. A photography exhibition by Maurizio Montagna celebrates the completion.