Museo delle Culture (Museum of Cultures) - MUDEC, Southwest Milan

Etnoghraphic materials from different cultures & heritages

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The invaluable collection of the Museo delle Culture contains important artefacts belonging to other cultures, exhibited in a way that showcases how the Milanese society has viewed them throughout the centuries.

Located in the old Ansaldo industrial plant, a disused factory redesigned by celebrated architect David Chipperfield, this museum is a meeting place for cultures and communities. The permanent collection is displayed in a way that shows not only the individual objects but also clarifies why they came to Milan.

Thus, the exhibition showcases how people have reacted when encountered with the 'other'. Seven different sections display the ever-changing way of viewing unknown cultures from the 17th century: the wonder inspired by the exotic, the need to evangelise and towards scientific discovery, the desire for conquest, and the pressing trade motivations. The two final sections show how much of the collection was destroyed during the II World War, and the change in regard during the 20th century.

The ground floor includes a bistro, design store, ticket office, cloakroom, a conference hall, educational facilities, restoration workshop and repositories open to small groups for guided visits. Mudec Junior is a space specially designed for kids, where children can come into contact with the world’s different cultures through games, multimedia equipment and manual workshops.

Worth knowing

There are frequent temporal exhibitions showing the work of some of the most important international artists, as well as ethnographic collections. Check our Events Calendar for more information.

Visitor comments

"Located in vibrant zona Tortona, this amazing new-born building conceived by starchitect David Chipperfield is still struggling to find its place within the ever-growing museum panorama of the city. The somewhat tribal logo (MUDEC stands for Museo delle Culture) provides an instant mental remind to non-Europea cultures, which the museum intends to explore." - Trip Advisor
"The "permanent collection" is definitely worth an hour and I am sure that most people will find something memorable here. It would appear that the curator has taken just the best things in the Milan municipality of ethnography collections and then displayed them brilliantly." - Trip Advisor
"The museum houses Milan’s ethnographic displays from Africa, Pacific, Asia and the Americas. What was impressive was that the museum has spent the last seventy years actively replacing its Pacific and African sections which were destroyed during the Second World War. There was an interesting video detailing this (no audio - just visuals). Another fascinating exhibit was a cabinet of curiosities, which were important in the 15th and 16th centuries." - Trip Advisor