Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera was founded in 1776 by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, with plans for a cultural center intended for the education of science, letters and the arts. Beginning in 1803, thanks to the figure of secretary Giuseppe Bossi, the Academy expanded the subjects it taught and established annual exhibitions.
Beginning to take shape in these years, with the dual purpose of education and exhibition, were the Art Collections of the Brera Academy, formed by works of art that would go to constitute the heritage of the Academy and at the same time serve as models for students in the schools of architecture, painting, sculpture, and ornamentation. Thanks to purchases, bequests and acquisitions, the Academy's historical heritage currently includes a Gipsoteca, a Drawings and Prints Cabinet, an Archive, a Photo Library, a Library and a Painting Gallery.
Today, the Brera Academy consists of three departments, with a broad and varied educational offering consisting of bachelor's degree programs and master's degree programs in disciplines that embrace traditional art practices, new technologies, and the enhancement and conservation of Cultural Heritage.