Most visitors come for the art and ignore the building. That's a missed opportunity: the structure itself is one of the most extraordinary works in the collection.
From fortress to palace
Beneath the museum lie the foundations of a medieval fortress, visible in a quiet underground gallery. Begin your visit there if you can.
Royal apartments
Several rooms preserve their 17th-century painted ceilings — gods on clouds, garlands, gilded mouldings. Look up.
The 19th-century additions
Long wings were added to house the growing imperial collection. The proportions are deliberately monumental.
The modern glass pyramid
The late-20th-century glass pyramid divides opinion. Standing inside it on a sunny morning is the easiest way to be persuaded.