Fondazione Prada building complex exterior.

©Stephanie Ong/Lonely Planet

Fondazione Prada

Top choice in Milan


Conceived by designer Miuccia Prada and architect Rem Koolhaas, this museum is as innovative and creative as the minds that gave it shape. Seven renovated buildings and three new structures have transformed a century-old gin distillery into 19,000 sq metres of exciting, multilevel exhibition space. The buildings, including the shimmering Haunted House clad in gold leaf and a bold 60m-high white concrete tower, work seamlessly together, presenting some stunning visual perspectives.

Inside, temporary and permanent exhibits fill the diverse spaces that finally allow for the display of the foundation’s extensive contemporary collection, which includes pieces by Anish Kapoor, Louise Bourgeois, Francesco Vezzoli and Nathalie Djurberg. Film screenings, performances and events are also part of the cultural program.

Almost as popular as the exhibits is the Wes Anderson–designed cafe, Bar Luce, with its wallpapered 1950s-inspired interior, complete with jukebox, themed pinball machines and rows of candy jars. The 6th-floor Torre restaurant is also worth a stop, especially for its skyline views.