Art Museum

Castello di Masnago

Varese (VA)
AM Tessera Lombardiaincluded
The architectural complex is built around a medieval tower from the 11th century. The heart of the building is the 15th-century wing, whose frescoed rooms in International Gothic Style house the civic art collection with Lombard works from the 16th to the 20th century. The 18th-century spaces are reserved for temporary exhibitions and conferences.
Castello masnago

The first floor of the 15th-century wing of the Masnago Castle welcomes a new exhibition: a selection of 60 masterpieces, paintings and sculptures, representing the identity of Varese's civic collections between the 19th and 20th centuries.

The link between the Civic Museums and the territory is deep: it lies not only in the testimony of local artists, but above all in the generosity of great patrons. It was in fact the legacy of Amelia Bolchini De Grandi in 1965 to form the founding nucleus of the modern museum, enriched over the years by prestigious donations, such as the Valaperta painting (gift of Riccardo Lampugnani) or the Tamar by Hayez (donated by Sai Vita).

The exhibition investigates the evolution of portraiture and the human figure, with a focus on Villa family portraits and female faces, including the famous Little girl with flowers by Giacomo Balla, a break with the avant-garde. The exhibition concludes with a reflection on work and landscape: from portraits of intellectuals and professionals - signed by authors such as Anselmo Bucci and Enrico Butti - to the dialogue between nature and industry, masterfully interpreted by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo and Domenico De Bernardi.


Hours:
Monday: closed
Tuesday: 09:30 - 12:30
Wednesday: 09:30 - 12:30
Thursday: 09:30 - 12:30
Friday: 09:30 - 12:30 | 14:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 09:30 - 12:30 | 14:00 - 18:00
Sunday: 14:00 - 18:00
Additional information about extraordinary openings and closings:
Closed Mondays (except Easter Monday), 1 January, Easter, 1 May, 1 November, 25 December, 24 and 31 December afternoon only
NB: le informazioni possono variare. Controlla sempre il sito del museo per orari e tariffe aggiornate.
Crediti fotografici: i crediti fotografici, qualora presenti, sono visualizzabili cliccando sull'immagine, con apertura tramite pop-up.
L'Associazione Abbonamento Musei dichiara la propria disponibilità a regolarizzare errori di attribuzione o eventuali omissioni sui detentori di diritto di copyright non potuti reperire.

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Lombardy - Aosta Valley card: included
Formula Extra card: included
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  • Full price ticket: €5.00
  • Reduced ticket: €3.00
Via Cola di Rienzo, 42 Varese (VA)

Services and accessibility

Disability Apri
Childhood Apri

Exhibitions in this location

Moving into the light

The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Masnago Castle hosts an impressive exhibition where the...
Castello di Masnago
Varese (VA)
17.04.2026 - 06.12.2026

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