The MUDEC – Museum of Cultures of Milan was founded in 2015 to present the civic ethnographic collections to the public in the new headquarters of the former Ansaldo, built based on a project by David Chipperfield in the design district of via Tortona.

The exhibition itinerary of the permanent collection Objects of encounter of the MUDEC inaugurated in 2015, represented a journey through time and space accomplished through the encounter/clash with the "other than oneself", starting from the 17th century up to the present day. our.

Five years later, reflecting on the role and responsibility of ethnographic museums in the contemporary debate, in 2020 it was decided to reorganize the permanent path of the MUDEC through the analysis of the effects of the advent of an interconnected world - for Milan and seen from Milan – from the modern age to today: thus “ global Milan” was born. The world seen from here ", inaugurated in September 2021, the result of a participatory museography process, conducted by the Conservatory and the Mudec Networks and Cultural Cooperation Office . Through a selection of objects from the collections of MUDEC and other institutions, the visitor can familiarize himself with complex concepts such as globalization, imperialism, mercantilism.

After a focus dedicated to the Settala Collection, the advent of globalization in the early modern age is addressed through the great geographical discoveries, the entry of Milan into the Spanish Empire and the consequent relations of the city with the Americas .

The second room is dedicated to Asia and the production of diversified luxury goods for the domestic and foreign markets, such as porcelain, lacquer and silk, which are much loved and imitated in Europe.

Africa is the protagonist of the third room: here crucial issues such as commercial relations, colonization and decolonization are addressed, with particular attention to Italian events.

This historical part of the itinerary is followed by a delve into contemporaneity dedicated to contemporary Afro-descendant artists active in multicultural Milan: a participatory museography project created with the collaboration of academics, experts, activists, cultural mediators, artists.

The route is accompanied by immersive multimedia installations that allow the visitor to explore the proposed themes independently and a series of video interviews with interlocutors of diasporic origin - curated by the Milano Città Mondo project - which promote a more empathetic understanding of the migrant perspective.

The management of MUDEC is made up of a partnership between public and private which sees the collaboration between the Municipality of Milan and 24 ORE Cultura – Gruppo 24 ORE.

The scientific direction is entrusted to the Municipality of Milan which deals with conservation and valorisation of the heritage, through temporary exhibitions in the Focus Rooms, conferences and events in the “Khaled al-Asaad” Culture Space. 24 ORE Cultura instead deals with the creation of exhibitions temporary spaces (hosted both on the first floor and in the new spaces of Mudec Photo) and the management of additional services, including: auditorium, Mudec Lab with creative and multimedia workshops dedicated to children, Mudec Design Store, bookshop, restaurant and bistro high quality.

Since its inauguration, MUDEC has hosted more than fifty exhibitions ranging from ethnography to contemporary art via art photography.