Rem Koolhaas is an amazing architect and one of my favorite buildings I've ever been to is his Seattle Public Library. When I found out he designed this museum I had to go. It's in a repurposed old distillery and new meets old in this pleasant space. It was founded by Miuccia Prada the owner of Prada, Miu Miu, helmet lang, etc... and her billions went to good use as no expense was spared. The bathrooms and locker room are a must visit. The decorative panels are normal construction material but it's been powder coated lime green and feels much more elevated. The bathrooms are the nicest and most interesting I've used in a long time. Each one is private and there is a lightbulb above the door where you can easily see which is open. It's a very large space and the best part is the "tower" you climb. It's 10 stories with something different every wall, you also get a great view of Milan cityscape the higher you go. Probably the most famous exhibits are by Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst. Both works are representative of their style as artists. The most memorable one is the mushroom room which you enter after following a handrail in complete darkness. read more

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If you are into contemporary and experimental art and installations and interesting exhibition spaces, this is a MUST-visit if you are in Milan. I'm not going to detail what you will see, it will ruin the surprise(s). Especially awesome is the elevator in the 10 story building, the bathroom on the 1st floor (the 2nd floor by American counting), the restaurant on the 6th floor with views, and all of the other site-specific buildings on the grounds, with installations. Simply, just GO. read more

What a pleasant surprise ! I wasn't sure what to expect, however I was thrilled with the visit. The exhibits were diverse and exquisitely presented in style and taste, what else would you expect from Prada! The architecture was engaging and stimulating to the imagination only adding to the experience. The crowd was large, however they dispersed quickly throughout the complex. The selection of exhibits included art, fashion, design and more! The experience was worth the the time and expense to visit the foundation (being slightly outside the center city). The cafe offered delightful treats and coffee options. I anxiously await to return as I cant imagine what the latest exhibit might include. read more

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Yes, the level of pretension at Fondazione Prada can be a bit much at times and even go so far as to border on overwhelming but it is still a pretty wonderful experience for enjoyers of contemporary art. I would agree with others that navigating the space was a bit confusing but the staff were always very friendly and helpful and I kind of enjoyed the hands-off feeling. We arrived a little before 2pm on the Sunday following the closeout of Fuorisalone and found that the museum was not all that busy. The exhibits are all relatively quick to go through and it was nice to be able to have the space to ourselves and really take things in at moments. They provided us with slotted times for the Godard and Haunted House exhibits but they were flexible with us as we showed up to these 5 or 10 mins earlier than our allotted time and were still allowed to enter. We finished up around 4:30 and the museum was noticeably more busy by that time. Before we left we enjoyed some drinks and snacks from the Bar Luce just outside of the base of the haunted house. I had a great caffe shakerato with a small pastry and a gin cocktail that was probably my favorite from the whole time I was in Milan called Sun Inlays. The cafe was very busy so we had to sit outside on the steps but the weather was perfect for the occasion. My total for these was about $27. Entry cost was $16.50. Some might find the price tag too high for the exhibits at the main site alone but after also visiting the satellite location in the top floor of the Galleria Vittorio near the Duomo I felt the price was actually a very good value. read more

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Located a twenty-minute walk from the Lodi T.I.B.B. Metro (subway) station along dreary commuter rail tracks, Fondazione Prada is a blend of MoMA PS1 (New York) and the Mattress Factory (Pittsburgh), and both US institutions are far more successful, mostly because of the poor visitor experience in Milan provided by singularly indifferent ticket desk personnel and challenging wayfinding. With almost no signs and a brochure as inarticulate as the ticket desk personnel, it is easy to miss the real attraction here: a white tower designed by Rem Koolhaas with stories linked by gracious, welcoming staircases, open views, and trapezoidal wall patterns that use plywood as adeptly as if it were marble. This institution has difficulty relating the most basic information, such as what is on view. But if you can wend your way through the tower and to the right floors, you may find the fascinating complementarity of Claes Oldenburg's Mouse Museum (1965-1977) and Alex Da Corte's Mouse Museum (Van Gogh Ear) (2022), along with Fischli/Weiss's 157 raw clay sculptures. read more

I loved Fondazione Prada. The ticket is only $10 and the place is huge. There were interesting exhibitions and the view from the top floors is amazing. I got a drink at the bar across from the museum and that was great too! Overall, it was a great experience. I recommend the Fondazione to all of the people interested in that type of art. read more

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Stay away!!!! Unless you are into...quite frankly, weird stuff. Each station (we left after the 3rd or 4th), we were hoping to experience something "normal" but after walking through a few hundred meters of chain linked fences hearing just plain psychotic strange dialect from different speakers...and then the cinema with women (or men in drag), talking gibberish and making absolutely NO SENSE....its not art (well...maybe people will argue its art...but this will not be relevant in a few years). What a waste of time and money. Prada...I dont see why you are supporting garbage like this. read more

Great exhibits but they don't really tell you how to get into each of them very well. The staff is not very nice and it is a bit confusing to get around here. But once you get the swing of things, it's great. You just have to go into all of the different buildings and make sure you see each part of each exhibit, because it's all a little bit fragmented and eclectic. I went to the observatory in the gallery near the Duomo, and then I got free entry into this museum. I really enjoy the art and the vibe, and then I went to Bar Luce afterward! Yum! Art and more art! What is a bit disappointing is that there is no bookstore, just basically one single shelf with books on it. read more

Fondazione Prada will either be your cup of tea or it won't. For me, I was in my element and the art on display was exactly the kind that I enjoy; stimulating and provocative with an element of participation. There is a degree of mystery surrounding FP. You are handed a map and given little information. I felt like I had been welcomed to a grand estate for just one night to explore and view a collection of private exhibitions. The galleries are large and span the vast FP grounds. The layout is free-flow; you can choose to start and end where you'd prefer, making your experience a unique one. The bulk of the venue is a transformed distillery which dates back to the 1910's. The galleries are stunning and so well put together, making for a wonderful visual and immersive experience. - I recommend visiting when it's dark for an eerie atmosphere. The highlight for me was the Edward Keinholz exhibition, which was an amazingly powerful visual experience. I am grateful that FP include a little handout with every artist's exhibition because it helped make sense of the artist's symbolism and intentions. I have often wished museums would offer this. In this case it enriched the experience and made it all the more memorable. I also loved Tobias Putrih's Slight Agitation, which focused on immersion and the physical experience. - It was fun to play a part in this one! For me, the permanent Haunted House exhibition was a little disappointing, especially since you have to book a half hour slot ahead of time to view it. I found the Keinholz exhibition to be so stimulating that, for me, Haunted House, paled in comparison. I absolutely loved FP. It's an entirely unique gallery experience, one which I'd revisit as exhibitions come and go with time. If you're a fan of modern art and looking for something a little different, perhaps immersive, then I'd recommend a visit. Also, the Wes Anderson-designed Bar Luce is here, and it is ADORABLE. read more

Not love at first sight. Its physical appearance, along with the deserted courtyard, was uninviting. After visiting a couple of museums on this trip to the post-Expo Milan, we began to appreciate the urbane-ness of this place. Milan was veiled in winter fog on that day. The building clad in gold foil was visually striking. But at the same time, due to the warmth of the color gold, it provided a calming focal point, especially viewed from inside the building. Different in form and exterior material, the whole group of buildings was in a subtle aesthetic unity. Exhibits were contextual. Provocative in one way or another. We were impressed with the expertise and the enthusiasm of the curating effort. The guards were well trained and helpful. Their workwear was a fashion statement. Bar Luce was a delight. And a necessity for visitors who plan to see all the exhibits on a single visit. read more

Mostly disappointing exhibitions, broken elevator, the terrace was closed. Average food at the cafe, few spots available. read more

5 stars because of the architecture. Galleries were pretty good but not amazing. Friendly staff. Very photogenic space & cafe. Not sure how often they change up the exhibitions. For me, it was worth visiting just to see the space. read more

The new headquarters of the Fondazione Prada used to be an old distillery from the 1910s in the southern part of Milan, which has been transformed to an architectural configuration that combines pre-existing buildings with new structures, very well done I must say. At the entrance (passing next to the cool Bar Luce - worth a visit), the nice and multilingual staff will inform you of the different exhibits taking place and get your ticket (10 euros, full price) and a useful leaflet explaining the exhibits, the spaces, a bit of the transformation of the areas and a map that you'll need a lot to find all the exhibits areas. (bags go in the coat check at the -1 level) During my visit the exhibit Serial Classic Podium was taking place, unfortunately it ended in August but it was a very nice one - too bad only temporary, I liked it more than all the permanent ones. The Tower, or Haunted House, is the gold structure most characteristic of the new Fondazione, an original part of the distillery complex. Its interior hosts a permanent installation by Robert Gober and 2 works by Loise Bourgeois. Since it's a tower and you have to climb a narrow stairway, there are restricted (timed) visits to go up, you just ask at the entrance when you get your ticket if they have any free time slots, they give you a card and tell you the time you have to be there to go up. Another permanent installation, which I appreciated more, can be found in the lower level of the Cinema building in the center of the complex, it is the Grotesque Process, by Thomas Demand, the recreation of a grotto from the island of Majorca, using 30 tons of grey cardboard, shaped by a computer and laid out to form a stratification with 900,000 sections. In the pre-existing building called Cisterna (used to contain enormous cisterns used in the distillery), you can visit the Trittico, a dynamic display strategy of 3 carefully selected works which will be installed at a time and periodically rotating. The selection on display until January 10, 2016 includes Case II by Eva Hesse, Lost Love by Damien Hirst and 1 metro cubo di terra by Pino Pascali, all associating objects and elements of nature with the shape of the cube... a bit too 'meh' for my taste. The South Gallery and the Deposit host "An Introduction", a sequence of spaces and artworks from the New Dada and Minimal art, ending at the Deposit, with vehicles of diverse natures 'indicating a convergence between art and life'... mmm, perhaps I'm not an expert in these types of art, actually I'm not a fan of anything modern or contemporary so I didn't care much about these spaces. Still, the Fondazione Prada is a place I'll be coming back to often because I fell in love with the architecture of the place, the Bar Luce and I'm curious to see the future exhibits that it will host. read more

Here we go ! You look for something different, its the right place but there is not too much to see. On every project you can see the explanation: "various objects and mixed media assemblage" which is the only explanation... It will have been great if the personal was not extremely arrogant. read more

The Fondazione Prada is located somewhat away from a zona called Porta Romana. If you think youre coming to this museum to see clothing youre wrong. It reminds me of the Whitney in NYC, extremely eccentric, contemporary, new media art. For me personally, not a fan. Beautiful building however, prada donated enough to make this look like a spectacular place when you first arrive but the actual artwork was just okay. For me, contemporary eccentric art doesnt have to make sense for me etc. but it has to make me think. Its not about if I like it or not but its about being a deeper more philosophical piece of art. The artists they showed took complete advantage and most of the rooms in the first building were EMPTY. Lol Someone needs to tell the staff to be a little bit nicer and smile more, too dry of an environment. Needs to improve in quality of artwork but artwork can be subjective at times. Wouldnt pay 10 euros for this again. read more

A contemporary art museum, situated in a former factory (actually, a distillery) -- it's reminiscent of Mass Moca or Dia Beacon for those familiar with those institutions. So the space itself is interesting to explore, plus the exhibits are well-conceived (this was my second visit and exhibits do change regularly). But this is also a place that willfully disregards its patrons, almost to the point that you feel like demanding your money back. An exhibit in a 10-story building had no working elevators -- and no warning of that fact when you purchased tickets (you needed to be in VERY good shape to make it to top). Similarly, the popular "Haunted House" exhibit -- it's a permanent one -- has limited tickets, so be prepared to be shut out of seeing it. Signage in place is very poor and the ridiculously conceived bathrooms make it impossible to discern the doors to the actual stalls. Oh, and good luck trying to figure out the line for tables at the cafe. All this could be corrected if the staff actually seemed to care, but there's just a lot of attitude here. For example, we had purchased tickets at their other location (near Duomo) -- you can skip that by the way -- and specifically inquired about the "Haunted House" and were not told a thing about limited availability. When we discovered issue at main location, we complained and staffer in charge all but ignored us until I insisted on speaking with a supervisor (she said supervisor couldn't help; sure enough she could and did, thankfully). All in all, I'd say go on a quiet day (like a weekday) and if you need an elevator, make sure you ask if it's working... read more

Architectural triumph. Serial Classic exhibit display of modern, modular display platforms contrasting with the Greek and Roman sculptures is absolutely beautiful. However, the aura of high culture and art is greatly diminished by the neofascist attitudes of the young guards in militaristic grey and black uniforms. The lack of directions and instructions for visitors forces guards to reprimand visitors repeatedly (e.g., only two can look at the Joseph Cornell in the cupboard; you need to get your parking ticket stamped before leaving) which leaves one feeling as a transgressor rather than a guest! read more