Milano Art Week 2026: must-see exhibitions

Milano Art Week marks its tenth edition with an intensive program: more than 500 events by institutions, foundations, galleries and independent spaces. Below is a concise selection of the main exhibitions in the city, with notes on special appointments and practical visit tips. Many shows remain open beyond the week, but some extraordinary openings are limited: check venues for up-to-date schedules.

• Palazzo Reale — Anselm Kiefer: Le Alchimiste

  A monumental cycle of over forty canvases conceived to converse with the Sala delle Cariatidi. Kiefer mixes diverse materials — oil, lacquer, charcoal, dried flowers and gold leaf — to evoke forgotten female figures. Tip: take time to read the labels to grasp the historical and alchemical references.

• Palazzo Reale — Robert Mapplethorpe: The Forms of Desire

  A retrospective highlighting Mapplethorpe's formally rigorous black-and-white nudes and portraits, where light and contrast reveal structural tension.

• GAM — Paul Troubetzkoy: The Sculptor of the Belle Époque

  An international survey co-produced with Musée d'Orsay: bronzes portrait important cultural figures and showcase the artist's direct-from-life working method.

• GAM — LETIA (Letizia Cariello) for the Sala del Parnaso

  Site-specific aluminum installation in dialogue with Appiani's neoclassical fresco: a visually permeable structure exploring the theme of time with rotating calendars and a paper globe. Special event: on May 21 the work will host a concert by Le Dimore del Quartetto (visitors free to move through the space).

• PAC — Marco Fusinato: The only true anarchy is that of power

  The first major European monograph of the Australian artist, focusing on noise as artistic practice. Daily performances are scheduled from 19:00 to 20:00 and on Thursdays from 20:00 to 22:00 — check the program for participation details.

• Fondazione Prada — Mona Hatoum: Over, under and in between

  A site-specific project in the Cisterna addressing instability and precarity through three installations that connect with the visitor’s physical experience.

• Triennale — Don Bronstein: The Rhythm of the Eye

  The first European show dedicated to Don Bronstein with 25 photographs documenting Chicago’s jazz and blues scene (1953–1968), capturing club atmospheres and iconic musicians.

• MUDEC — 100 Photographs to Inherit the World

  A photographic journey from 19th-century visual experiments to contemporary authors addressing multiculturalism, gender identity, migration and environmental crises.

• Special exhibition: In a Century of Space. Rai Pubblicità, 100 Years and Beyond

  An immersive project retracing a century of advertising and media dynamics, exploring the cultural memory connected to the evolution of communication.

Practical tips: check opening hours and reservation requirements, use evening openings to spread visits across days and plan your route to minimize travel time between venues. Several shows include performances or concerts on specific dates—consult each institution’s calendar for details.