The after-hours Last Supper

Why it is on the list

Leonardo painted the Last Supper on the end wall of the Dominican refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie between 1494 and 1498, a mural 460 by 880 cm; the painting, the church and the convent have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.¹ In opening hours the room is seen in timed turns of 15 minutes, up to 40 people at a time.² Outside them, on a Monday when the museum is closed or from 7.30 pm on other days, the museum opens the refectory for a single party: an hour for up to 30 guests, two hours for up to 60, three for more.²³

It is the wrong choice for a dinner or a reception: no food or drink is allowed anywhere in the museum, even at a private opening.⁴ It is also wrong for a plan that may change, since the time and the number of guests are fixed once the agreement is signed.³

How to get it

Send the request through the form on the museum's after-hours page at least 15 days before the date, with the organiser's name (and the company's details when a company books), the date and time, and the largest number of guests.³⁴ The opening is granted only when the museum signs a concession for temporary use of the space.³ The organiser then provides liability insurance covering the building and people for EUR 1,000,000 and pays the fee and staff costs; proof of payment must reach the museum at least three days ahead, and nothing is refunded after payment.³

For up to 30 guests and one hour, 7.30 to 8.30 pm, the cost is EUR 5,708.50 from Tuesday to Friday and EUR 6,183.50 on Saturday, Sunday or Monday: a EUR 5,000 fee to the State plus eight museum staff.³ A guide in Italian or English can be added for a charge, when the museum's own staff are free.³

Discretion

The opening falls on a Monday, when the museum is closed to the public, or after the last public visit of the day, so the party has the refectory to itself.²⁴ The museum's own reception and security staff, eight for a party of up to 30, stay for the visit.³