Formerly known as Palazzo Fürstenberg, the 18th-century property was originally built as a private residence in the Barocchetto style. Throughout its two-hundred-year history, the building has undergone numerous transformations, each reflecting the shifting needs and aspirations of its custodians. In 1972, it was acquired by the State with the intention to integrate it into the Brera cultural complex, yet its integration into the museum remained elusive for decades.

One of the most significant interventions came about in the 1980s when the esteemed British architect James Stirling was commissioned to oversee its transformation. His plans, which included a new building to house a library, archives and cafeteria, suffered long delays and were eventually abandoned following his death in 1992. Various efforts to integrate the building into the Brera complex followed, but none came to fruition—that is until now with MCA’s approach which respects the building’s layered history while introducing contemporary elements that enhance both its function and aesthetic appeal.

Stepping into the courtyard, visitors encounter one of the most distinctive new additions: a small, circular wooden pavilion known as the Little Temple. Donated by Salone del Mobile.Milano, the structure serves as a meeting point between La Grande Brera’s various spaces as well as a figurative bridge between the institution’s historic past and its dynamic future. The pavilion is inspired by Donato Bramante’s Tempietto in Rome, a masterpiece of High Renaissance architecture. Also depicted in Raphael’s The Marriage of the Virgin, which is housed in the Pinacoteca di Brera—and is one of the last artworks visitors encounter before exiting into the courtyard—the pavilion’s historic references are harmoniously balanced with its stark, pared-down design.

Inside, a translucent plastic canopy, akin to a Roman velarium, is suspended above the perimeter benches, creating a serene, almost sacred atmosphere. Boasting a modular construction, the pavilion can be easily transported to the Brera Botanical Garden next door to make space for a temporary bar if the occasion calls for it—an apt metaphor for the entire project’s balance between heritage and innovation. With its doors now open, Palazzo Citterio has finally brought to life the dream of La Grand Brera, offering not just an extension of an illustrious exhibition space but a redefinition of what a museum can be: a space of interaction, reflection, and living history.