Casa Museo Boschi di Stefano is a free house museum in Milan’s Buenos Aires neighborhood, at Via Giorgio Jan 15. It occupies the former apartment of collectors Antonio Boschi and Marieda Di Stefano, in an Art Deco building designed by Piero Portaluppi. Around 300 paintings, drawings and sculptures from their collection trace Italian art from the early 20th century to the 1960s, displayed among period furniture in the rooms of the home. Look for works by artists including Lucio Fontana, Giorgio de Chirico and Giorgio Morandi, and notice the green chandelier by the entrance.
A collectors’ home opened to the public
Antonio Boschi and Marieda Di Stefano built a substantial private collection of Italian art during their lives. Together, they gathered more than 2,000 paintings, drawings and sculptures. In 1974, the collection was donated to the City of Milan. The museum displays a selection of around 300 works in the couple’s former home.
The apartment is in a building designed by Milanese architect Piero Portaluppi. Built between 1929 and 1930 as a modern bourgeois residence, it retains its domestic layout and private character. The rooms remain part of the experience: rather than entering a purpose-built gallery, you move through an apartment furnished as a home.
A route through 20th-century Italian art
The selected works span the early decades of the 20th century through the 1960s. Paintings, drawings and sculptures appear across the apartment’s exhibition rooms, arranged to trace changes in Italian art over that period. Artists represented include Lucio Fontana, Giorgio de Chirico and Giorgio Morandi, as well as Sironi, Modigliani and Piero Manzoni.
The intimate setting brings the works close, with paintings hung among furniture and other details of the home. Take time to look at the rooms as well as the individual pieces; the domestic arrangement is part of what distinguishes this collection from a conventional gallery display.
Details to notice in the apartment
The Art Deco interiors give the rooms their own visual character. One detail visitors often notice is the green chandelier near the entrance. Its colour comes from arsenic pigmentation, a detail explained by a museum guide.
The museum’s online guide can help you find your way through the rooms and paintings. Volunteer guides are also available to share information about the house and the collection. If you would like context as you move through the apartment, ask about the guide when you arrive.
FAQ
Is Casa Museo Boschi di Stefano free to enter?
Yes. Admission is free, and donations are welcome.
What can you see at Casa Museo Boschi di Stefano?
The museum displays around 300 paintings, drawings and sculptures from the collection of Antonio Boschi and Marieda Di Stefano. The works cover Italian art from the early 20th century to the 1960s.
How long do you need at Casa Museo Boschi di Stefano?
Allow about 1 to 2 hours to see the collection and the apartment.
Where is Casa Museo Boschi di Stefano?
It is at Via Giorgio Jan 15, in Milan’s Buenos Aires neighborhood.
