Cardinal Borromeo gave not only his valuable collection of books and manuscripts to the library, but also his collection of paintings and drawings. Later on, the collections have been enlarged by donations and acquisitions. It contains unique pieces such as the famous Iliad Picta, the 5th century illustrated manuscript of Homer's Iliad, and 12 manuscripts of Leonardo da Vinci, including his Codex Atlanticus.

The Library is one of the most important in the world.

The museum consists of 24 rooms, displaying the masters  from the Renaissance, the 17th century and the 18th century.

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