Departments

Over the last 50 years the Museum has acquired over 10,000 objects that tell the history of science, technology and industry. Among these – in line with the original mission of the Museum, which was to create a dialogue between art ad science - are 1500 art works. About 1,700 items are held in trust by the Museum.

These collections are hosted in the Museum buildings in Via San Vittore - Milano. About 5,000 objects are exhibited in the galleries, while a similar number is kept in internal and external storage areas. Originally the collections were organised in 28 thematic sections, which included simple and complex objects of very different nature, size, material and construction technique. Most objects date between the 19th and the 20th century but there are many exceptions from ancient and modern times (roman anchors, medieval pirogues, clocks and globes from the 17th century etc.). Most objects have a national provenance and were donated by factories, foundations, institutions and individuals among which are important personalities of the scientific and technological Italian panorama, such as was Guglielmo Marconi. Today the exhibitions are complemented by active areas (i.labs) in which informal learning is the tool for engaging schools, families and other audiences in a process of discovery.

Collections and educational labs are now grouped under the following Departments: Materials, Transport, Energy, Communication, Leonardo Art and Science and New Frontiers. This formal structure is shaped upon considerations on the evolution of society, science and technology, and it is characterised by a strong interdependence of spaces, stories and contents. The result is an original and assorted offer, which we try to develop and improve thanks to the passionate and dedicated work of the Museum staff, to our sponsors, to our partners and to the precious contribution of all our visitors.