Mudec, Milan Museum of Cultures

It’s an important architectural design feat, originating from the inspirational, intrepid recovery of a former industrial area. It’s a display space spread out over 17,000 sq.m. where multidisciplinary exhibitions, representing the complex ethnoanthropological heritage of mankind, i.e. culture, are hosted on a rotational basis. It is the seat of a permanent collection of rare and astonishing pieces, in keeping with the classic traditions of ethnographic museums. It is a Design Store where aficionados, locals or passersby often go to browse and purchase unusual objects including costume jewelry, accessories, toys and books. It’s also an innovative restaurant that serves ‘classic contemporary’ food, a description coined by its two Michelin-starred chef Enrico Bartolini. It’s a bistro where people can savour drinks and snacks throughout the day. And, thanks to frequent initiatives for children, it’s also a meeting place for family outings. It’s MUDEC, Milan’s Museum of Cultures! Located in the Tortona area, one of the city’s most lively design districts.
It also features temporary exhibitions, an auditorium, a cafeteria, a concept store, a library, workshops, a 100% junior space, the Academy24 by IlSole24Ore and a car park.

The museum is located inside an old industrial building that was formerly part of the Ansaldo complex, a factory that used to produce locomotives, railway cars and tram carriages. The building has been renovated by British architect David Chipperfield, who chose to use for this three-level building materials such as white opaque glass, zinc and titanium.
However, at the end of the collaboration, the architect disagreed over the “poor quality” flooring and disassociated himself with the project.
See more on www.mudec.it

The full collection is not on display, as it’s made of 8,000 artisan objects from different centuries and different non-European countries (America, Africa, Asia), ranging from jewellery to weapons and also pottery. They were mainly brought to Milan by Italian explorers or passionate collectors. 

The museum staff collaborates with local expat communities to organize its activities aimed at discovering non-Italian cultures.