From ancient art to contemporary practices, literature and new forms of expression, a new season brings together the different identities of the district.
The new exhibition season of the Grande Brera opens in autumn 2026 with a programme that brings together different periods, languages and disciplines. The Pinacoteca di Brera, Palazzo Citterio and the Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense create a shared journey through art history, literature and culture, extending into contemporary and digital experimentation.
A particularly significant programme for the Brera district, where cultural institutions and places dedicated to research, education and artistic production contribute to creating a unique cultural landscape within Milan. The 2026–2027 season further strengthens this dimension, bringing together major anniversaries and historic figures with new forms of interpretation and experience.
Among the main highlights are the 250th anniversary of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and the centenary of the Amici di Brera, together with exhibitions dedicated to Francesco Hayez, Carlo Maria Mariani, Mario Schifano, Sean Scully, Umberto Eco and Michele Ciacciofera. The programme is completed by projects dedicated to digital art and new technologies, presented on the large LED wall at Palazzo Citterio.
Pinacoteca di Brera
The Pinacoteca focuses above all on its own history and its relationship with the Accademia di Belle Arti. The programme opens with the centenary of the Amici di Brera, explored through works, documents and materials that trace its role in the growth of the museum’s collection. From November, the 250th anniversary of the Academy will be celebrated with a major exhibition dedicated to Francesco Hayez, bringing together, for the first time, works from the Pinacoteca and the Academy.
Palazzo Citterio
Palazzo Citterio focuses its programme on modern and contemporary art, alternating major figures with exhibitions linked to the history of the Academy. The season opens with a retrospective dedicated to Carlo Maria Mariani, followed by exhibitions on the Maestri di Brera, Mario Schifano and Sean Scully. The programme is completed by new digital art projects on the large LED wall, presented in collaboration with the Museo nazionale dell’Arte digitale.
Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense
The Braidense, meanwhile, creates a journey through art, literature and book culture. The programme opens with a tribute to Umberto Eco, bringing together his literary world with the library’s book and scientific collections, followed by the contemporary practice of Michele Ciacciofera. The season concludes with celebrations dedicated to Alessandro Manzoni and the 200th anniversary of the first publication of I Promessi Sposi.
The new Grande Brera programme thus presents an increasingly diverse cultural system, in which museums, libraries, academies and new exhibition spaces share a common vision.
The new season creates connections between heritage and contemporary culture, education and research, art and literature. A season that brings the past and the future into dialogue.
It is precisely this plurality that makes the new season particularly relevant to Brera: a programme that not only explores the history of art, but also helps create new dialogues between the district’s heritage, the city and the languages of the present.
