Braidense National Library

This library has some really frustrating rules. If you don’t have coins with you, you’re not allowed to store your bag in the locker room, and if you don’t leave your bag there, they won’t even let you enter the library. On top of that, they randomly close the library in the middle of the day ( like at 2 PM ) which makes no sense to me. I honestly don’t understand if this is common across Italy or just specific to this place. Do people see libraries more like tourist attractions here? It feels like the concept of a library as a quiet, accessible study space doesn’t really exist. at least not in the way I’m used to. If you’re living in a Nordic country like me, the library experience in Italy might feel like a complete disappointment.

A hidden treasure inside the Brera Palace, right next to the Pinacoteca di Brera. The Braidense National Library offers a stunning historic reading room with wooden shelves, chandeliers, and a peaceful atmosphere—it feels like stepping into a 19th-century scholarly haven. While it’s primarily a research library, visitors are welcome to quietly explore the space. Some areas may be limited to students or researchers, but the main reading halls alone are worth the visit—especially if you love books, history, or beautiful interiors. Free entry, but bring an ID to register if you’d like to read or work inside. A perfect stop for a quiet moment between museum visits or while exploring the artistic Brera district.

One of the most beautiful libraries I have ever been to. I went to this amazing library to study. I had to leave my bag inside the locker （1 euro coin needed) and then had to register before going in to the study room. Easy process, and it was open to everyone. There were many people studying there, and it was really quiet and I loved its ambience as well as its perfect lighting for studying. A perfect place to study!

Absolutely lovely place to study. If you’re planning to come PLEASE NOTE: I suggest you prepare well because you can’t bring in backpacks, so carry on you whatever you need. There’s an available locker room that you need a 1€ coin for, make sure to bring that. And also the library is often closed for half the day or the entire day, so make sure you check the schedule online. Thank you!

Absolutely ethereal! An amazing place to study/work if you're in Milan. No reservations, you can just drop your bags downstairs in the lockers provided. You need a slip to enter, which you can get in the entrance from the staff and it's free to enter. Stunning place! Definitely coming back here.

Very good library, that welcomes everybody. Quiet atmosphere to work, with sufficient electricity plugs for everybody. The staff was also super nice and helpful and made registering for me as a foreigner super easy. The only downside is, that the internet might be a bit slow.

Beautiful library but be aware that it's and actively used library. I'm you can't generally just go in and look around like a tourist. It's used by students to study.

Only in Italy you can hear “we are about to close so you can’t enter a ‘5 minutes stay’ cause we gonna close in 30 minutes” unbelievable. They invent stupid rules that of course Italians act silly trying to avoid them, like: you can enter read sit or read through your phone but you can’t walk around the tables to read or see the beautiful and ancient books and shelter! Ok then, let’s go inside to sit but I’m gonna walk around the tables to find my sit okay? Unbelievable. Even the other colleagues in the museum agree with us saying “some people here pretend to stick to the rules so they don’t have to deal with you or to work” Unacceptable!

Just a short walk from the madness on Via Monte Napoleone of clammering fashionistas & the Paparazzi of Milan fashion week lies a national treasure. OK, so my cultural compass is not always true but on the odd occasion it will align and this was one of those moments. My normal mode is alcoholautopilot and on this flight I was navigating between the Centro Historico backstreet Cafe Bars in my quest for Alicia Lini 910 and happened to notice a rather magnificent arch to my right. As i glanced over, i saw a courtyard within. Curiosity beckoned and i strolled through to see what was thither and lo and behold ... I had wandered in to a place oozing history and magnificence combined with art and horticulture and knowledge. This is a location you will have to revisit many times in order to see everything that resides here. For those seeking a snort of culture then this is a 'Four-fer'....You have; Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense (One of Italy's largest state libraries) c1770 Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Art Gallery) c1776 Accademia de Belle Arti c1776 Orto Botanico di Brera (historic botanical garden) c1774 As for me, trying to describe what you will see here well .... erm .... in this case a picture is definitely worth a million words so let the camera speak ....