what to see milan best museums galleries 2026 winter olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin in Milan, Italy, with an opening ceremony featuring Mariah Carey at San Siro Stadium. While most events take place across northern Italy, the article provides a guide to Milan's top museums and galleries for art-loving visitors during the three-week games. Highlights include exhibitions at Fondazione Prada (with works by Mona Hatoum and Hito Steyerl), Pirelli HangarBicocca (Nan Goldin's "This Will Not End Well" and Benni Bosetto's "Rebecca"), Pinacoteca di Brera (Italian masterpieces plus Giorgio Armani garments), and Museo del Novecento (sports-themed posters by Armando Testa). Several commercial galleries also feature solo shows by artists such as Emily Sunblad, Claudia Losi, and Jonathan Lyndon Chase.

Venice Unveils Stunning New Art Spaces

During the Architecture Biennale preview in Venice, two major new art spaces opened: the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation's new home in a historic palazzo on the San Barnaba canal, and SMAC (San Marco Art Centre), a contemporary art center on Saint Mark's Square designed by David Chipperfield. Additionally, Belgian artist Luc Tuymans accepted a last-minute commission from the Abbot of San Giorgio Maggiore to replace two Tintoretto paintings with his own large-scale works. The Fiorucci Foundation's palazzo, acquired in December 2024, opened May 10 with an exhibition by Georgian artist Tolia Astakhishvili, featuring works made from found materials and drawings on walls, alongside pieces by Thea Djordjadze and Maka Sanadze. SMAC, restored by Chipperfield, currently hosts two exhibitions: one on Australian modernist architect Harry Seidler and another on Korean landscape architect Jung Youngsun.

Sharjah Biennial Lines Up 109 Artists for 2027 Edition, Titled ‘What Remains, Sits Restive’

Sharjah Biennial announces theme and artists

Sharjah Art Foundation Announces 2027 Biennial Programming

Sharjah Biennial 17 Assembles 109 Artists Across a Restless Global Landscape.

Two new art centres set to open in Venice

Two new art centres are set to open in Venice in early May 2025. The San Marco Art Centre (SMAC) will launch on 9 May on the second floor of the Procuratie in St Mark’s Square, founded by David Hrankovic, Anna Bursaux, and David Gramazio. It will focus on temporary exhibitions spanning art, architecture, fashion, technology, and film, and is funded through admissions and sponsors. Its inaugural shows, timed with the Venice Architecture Biennale, feature architect Harry Seidler and landscape designer Jung Youngsun. Separately, the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation opens a non-profit venue in the Dorsoduro district on 7 May, with a site-specific installation by Georgian artist Tolia Astakhishvili.