Pirelli HangarBicocca

About Pirelli HangarBicocca

Pirelli HangarBicocca is a non-profit contemporary art foundation in a former locomotive-manufacturing plant in Milan's Bicocca district. The institution opened in 2004 and occupies approximately 15,000 square metres on one ground-level floor. Its industrial Navate, Shed and Cubo spaces allow artists to create unusually large, site-responsive exhibitions rather than fit work into conventional galleries. The building is therefore part of the experience: exposed structure, height and long sightlines shape how each installation is encountered. Admission to the permanent installations and temporary exhibitions is free, although reserving a time slot gives priority access.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

What's inside

Inside Pirelli HangarBicocca, the programme combines changing solo exhibitions with permanent installations. Anselm Kiefer's The Seven Heavenly Palaces 2004–2015 fills the Navate with concrete towers and large paintings, while eL Seed's Waves Only Exist Because the Wind Blows occupies the outdoor setting. The Shed and Navate host temporary projects conceived in dialogue with the building's scale. The entrance hall provides a map, information point and seating; visitors can also use the garden, bookshop, bistrot, lockers and free indoor Wi-Fi. Printed exhibition guides are free, and digital guides can be opened by QR code.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

How long to spend

Allow roughly two hours when two exhibitions or installations are open. Pirelli HangarBicocca suggests an average of forty-five minutes for each show because the complex covers 15,000 square metres, but the actual duration depends on the programme and how closely you read the free guides. Add time for The Seven Heavenly Palaces, the outdoor installation, bookshop or bistrot if they matter to you. The single-level route removes stairs, yet the long industrial halls still involve substantial walking. Check the current exhibition list before deciding how much of a day to reserve.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

Season and crowds

Visit Thursday through Sunday; the exhibition spaces normally open from 10:30 to 20:30, with last admission at 19:30, and close Monday through Wednesday. The operator currently states that the galleries are on a summer closure and will reopen on Thursday 17 September 2026, so check the homepage before travelling. A free online reservation secures priority for a chosen slot, while on-site entry depends on availability and may involve a wait. Temporary exhibitions change, and exceptional openings or closures appear on the official calendar rather than following a permanent annual pattern.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

Tickets

Admission to Pirelli HangarBicocca's permanent installations and temporary exhibitions is free. Reserve a free timed ticket online if you want priority access; registration at the venue is possible only as capacity allows. Paid guided visits are separate from gallery admission. The operator lists scheduled Italian tours at eight euros for adults, free for members and minors, while private group tours have their own rates and booking channel. Because programming and tour availability change, use the official booking page for the date you plan to attend rather than buying from an intermediary.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

Getting there

Pirelli HangarBicocca is at Via Chiese 2 in northern Milan. From Ponale station on metro line M5, take bus 51 toward Cimiano M2 and leave at Via Chiese–HangarBicocca. Bus 87 connects the venue with Milano Centrale, Porta Garibaldi via the M5, Greco Pirelli station and Sesto Marelli. The operator also identifies BikeMi station 329 at Chiese–Fulvio Testi. Unattended street parking is available around Via Chiese, but no space is guaranteed. Check current ATM service information before departure because the museum's directions describe routes, not live disruption status.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

What to watch out for

Do not touch artworks unless staff explicitly permit it, and keep food, drink, smoking, vaping and phone calls out of the galleries. Children under ten must be held by the hand. Dogs may use outdoor and common areas, but only assistance dogs enter exhibitions. The whole museum is on one ground-level floor without architectural barriers; wheelchairs, folding chairs and noise-cancelling headphones are available from the Info Point. Strollers are normally admitted, although an installation can impose special restrictions. Use the lockers for large bags and umbrellas, and read the rules for each exhibition because individual artworks can require different precautions.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

Photography

Personal, non-commercial photographs and low-resolution videos are allowed unless a sign for a particular work says otherwise. Flash, tripods, camera stands and similar equipment are forbidden. Commercial, promotional, advertising and publishing use requires prior arrangement, and articles or photo stories must be cleared with the press office. Keep circulation routes open when framing the long Navate views or Kiefer's towers, and do not treat another visitor as part of the composition without consent. Exhibition staff can clarify restrictions where artist copyright or installation conditions create a rule that differs from the general policy.

Checked 2026-08-28 · Source

Where it is

• 45 min

  15 min walk

  church Santa Maria Maddalena

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  • Historic monument
• 45 min

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  monastery of San Nicolao

  • Notable
  • Historic monument
• 1 hr 30 min

  31 min walk

  Galleria d'Arte Sacra dei Contemporanei

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  • Museum

External links