The Archive and Library preserve the documentary and book heritage that the Veneranda Fabbrica has produced and collected in more than six hundred years of history in the course of its activities.

The Archive has always been a precious resource for the Venerenda Fabbrica and its consutruction sites since the very beginning of the story.

Today it has also become a valuable source for intellectuals, researchers and students.

“The Cathedral had been the most important focus in the mind of the Milaneses for centuries, and the Archive is a proof of this; the hustle and bustle of the City can be easily recollected in those pages”

E. Verga

The variety of the archival heritage preserved in the Archives of the Veneranda Fabbrica reflects the complex history of the institution. In addition to accounting records, minutes of meetings and payment orders, there is also a rich photographic archive, a collection of drawings and the archive of the Music Chapel. This material, together with the publications kept in the library, provide a complete overview not only of the history of the Duomo, but of the entire city of Milan.

The Archive’s activity is developed in different directions: the preservation of the heritage, its valorization and usability, and research in support of the mission of the Veneranda Fabbrica.

Starting in 2017, the Archives launched the ADAM (Archiving Digital Duomo Museum Archive) project, with the aim of improving the management of information related to the entire monumental complex, linking the documentary heritage with the Duomo and its artistic collections.