If you walk through Piazza della Scala, you enter the Montenapoleone district where you can do some serious window shopping on beautiful cobble stone streets. Definitely check out the Palazzo Morando-Costume Moda Immagine. It is a costume museum right in the shopping district, and it is a great way to cool off after a day of shopping. The museum is free which is also a plus, after breaking the bank at various stores in the district.
Also in the Piazza is a statue of Leonardo da Vinci that stands in the middle of the square, a perfect antidote to the Leonardo 3 exhibit that sits to the right of the end of Galleria.
At the end of the Galleria lies Leonardo 3, a must see exhibit displaying Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest mechanical and artistic works depicted in the most modern and interactive way. Touch screen computers surround the entire exhibit encouraging people to touch, contrary to most museum etiquette. One screen displays “The Last Supper” and has sensors all over the picture for people to click on and learn more about what Leonardo had envisioned each supper guest to be thinking and saying. The exhibit is a great way to learn about Leonardo in a very fun and creative way. It is also a great museum for children especially because “Do not touch” signs were seldom present. Or shall I say “non toccare”…
I also went to go see the actual “Last Supper” at Santa Maria Delle Grazie and that was a great experience as well. Prior to entering the exhibition, you must stand in a glass enclosure where a system sucks the oxygen and toxins off of you, to prevent any damages to the already distressed sacred work of art. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I imagined “The Last Supper” to be a painted picture hung on a frame. To my surprise it was painted right on the wall of the cathedral. It was an extremely large fresco, a style of wall painting or mural most commonly connected with the Italian Renaissance (not to be confused with the work of Banksy or the Black Cherokee). It was much bigger than I had imagined and It makes you appreciate Leonardo da Vinci’s skill even more so since he was able to incorporate so much detail into such a large scale design. I recommend going to Leonardo3 prior to “The Last Supper” because it’s nice to learn about the piece, and understand the significance of it. I went to Leonardo3 after “The Last Supper” and had an “ahh-haa” moment, but I think it is better to go before because your time with the actual master piece is limited, and you should try and get the most out of your experience.
Part 4 is coming soon! Sam will tell you about her visit to the Italian department store la Rinascente and her rooftop walking experience at Highline Galleria.
Read Sam’s previous posts:
>> Sam on the Street – Part 1: discovering Milan guided by a young American girl – Arrival
>> Sam on the Street – Part 2: walking tour in the Duomo Area and a night at La Scala Opera House
Or go on reading:
>> Sam on the Street – Part 4: a visit to department store la Rinascente and a rooftop walking experience with Highline Galleria
>> Sam on the Street – Part 5: A Visit to the Nineteenth Century Art Museum: Museo del Novecento
>> Sam on the Street – Part 6: a visit to the shopping district of via Torino
>> Sam on the Street – Part 7: experiencing Milan’s Central Park: Parco Sempione (Sforza Castle, La Triennale Design Museum, the City Aquarium, nightlife area Arco della Pace)
Sam on the Street – Part 3: A walk through the most elegant shopping area, Leonardo 3 exhibition and "The Last Supper"
