Former 1910s distillery transformed by Rem Koolhaas and OMA into a contemporary art campus. Seven existing buildings plus three new structures including the gold-leaf wrapped Haunted House tower. Wes Anderson-designed Bar Luce. This is what happens when fashion money meets serious architecture.
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Allow 3 hours minimum. The permanent collection (Kounellis, Cattelan, Louise Bourgeois) is as important as the temporary exhibitions. The Torre (Haunted House) requires a separate timed ticket — worth it for the view from the top and the spatial experience. Bar Luce (designed by Wes Anderson in full pastiche mode) is essential even if you do not typically do museum cafes.
Weekday morning for the exhibitions without crowds. Bar Luce is best mid-afternoon when the light hits the mint-green Formica. The outdoor courtyard works well in spring and autumn. Closed Tuesdays.
Opened in 2015 after years of conversion. OMA preserved the industrial structures (warehouses, labs, silos) and inserted new pavilions finished in contrasting materials: white concrete, mirror, foam, gold leaf. The Torre ticket is separate and timed — book when you buy general admission. The permanent collection rotates between buildings. Miuccia Prada's vision was to create a cultural institution that would outlast the fashion house. It has succeeded. Easily one of the best contemporary art spaces built in Europe this century.