This huge neoclassical palace was built in 1882 as an exhibition centre, though it has since served as HQ for the Italian Communist Party, a mess hall for Allied servicemen, a polling station and even a public loo. Nowadays it's a splendid cultural hub, with cathedral-scale exhibition spaces hosting blockbuster art exhibitions and sleekly designed art labs, as well as a bookshop and cafe.
The building also hosts everything from multimedia events to concert performances, film screenings and conferences, and has an excellent glass-roofed restaurant that proffers a bargain buffet lunch (€16) Monday to Friday; weekend brunch costs €30.
