Established in 1881 the Poldi Pezzoli Museum is one of the most famous house museums in Italy, showcasing the magnificent art collection of Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli. You will find the museum tucked away within one of Milan’s many beautiful hidden courtyards in which the entrance lies to what was once the former private house of Poldi Pezzoli.

When you step inside this maximalist palace you’re instantly transported back in time through the centuries as each of the elegant rooms creates a suspended universe of past eras. Not only is the design of the house exquisite, with its old baroque staircase and countless curated rooms, but the extensive collection showcases over 5,000 unique pieces.

One of the first rooms you encounter is the 14th - 17th century armoury, which was recreated by contemporary artist Arnaldo Pomodoro after the original was destroyed during the Second World War. Here you will find pieces from the Milanese and Brescian renaissance with a particular focus on military parade weapons and suits of armour.

Moving through the rooms you can admire the rich collections on display, including many paintings, sculptures, clocks, furniture, ornaments, stained-glass, unusual carvings, jewellery and so much more. With the museum’s collection considered to be one of the most prestigious in Europe, it also includes masterpieces by Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, Bellini, Mantegna, Tiepolo and above all Piero del Pollaiolo’s who’s “Portrait of a Lady” has been adopted as the image always associated with the museum.

Many of the rooms were once embellished with stained glass windows, murals and carvings but many of these decorations were unfortunately destroyed when the building was bombed during World War II. Luckily the Dante study which is one of my favorite rooms in the house, still includes its original stained-glass and frescos inspired by the middle-ages. Following the blitz, and after the war a great deal of the house had to be rebuilt. However, the renovation managed to maintain the magical and mystical atmosphere which the great Milanese art collector Poldi Pezzoli originally intended.