Accademia Carrara, Art museum and academy in Bergamo, Italy.
Accademia Carrara is an art museum housed in a Neoclassical building that displays roughly 1,800 paintings, 3,000 drawings, and 8,000 prints. The works span from medieval to modern times and are arranged across multiple exhibition halls.
Count Giacomo Carrara founded the institution in 1793 as both a museum and art school open to the public. This was revolutionary at the time, as it democratized art education and gallery access beyond the nobility and wealthy classes.
The collection represents the artistic traditions that shaped Northern Italy. Visitors encounter painters like Mantegna, Bellini, and Lotto, whose styles defined the visual heritage of the region.
The museum is accessible by public transport or on foot from the city center. Plan to spend several hours here, as the collection is extensive and spread across multiple rooms.
The institution continues to operate as an art school where students study and create work alongside the historical collection. This creates a living connection between old masterworks and contemporary artistic practice.
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