A landmark Michelangelo exhibition comes to London this year

There's almost no doubt that you've seen the work of Michelangelo before – he carved “David”, painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and painted “The Creation of Adam”. In 2024, Londoners are getting the chance to see his work up close in a new major exhibition at the British Museum. 

“Michelangelo: The Last Decades” will explore the final decades of the artist's life, which were spent in Rome and represented one of the busiest periods of his career. Despite being such a productive time, the works from this period are amongst his lesser-known, meaning this exhibition gives visitors the chance to look at Michelangelo's work from a new perspective. 

Amongst the pieces in the show are “Epifania”, a two metre high work that's being displayed for the first time since conservation on it began in 2018. It's one of the biggest Renaissance works on paper and will be shown alongside other awe-inspiring pieces from the British Museum's collection. Some of these pieces have not been shown publicly for almost 20 years. Visitors will also see an array of Michelangelo's private letters, poems, and artistic designs. 

The exhibition is on at the British Museum between 2nd May and 28th July. Find out more and plan your visit on the museum's website.