If you came to Milan for design, the Triennale is where to begin. The institution grew out of the decorative-arts exhibitions held in the 1920s and moved in 1933 into the Palazzo dell'Arte, a monumental but airy building by Giovanni Muzio on the western edge of Parco Sempione, built specifically to host exhibitions. Since then it has been the main stage for the debates that made Italian design famous, and its international exhibition, held every few years, still draws architects and designers from around the world. The permanent heart of the building is the Museo del Design Italiano, a display of the objects that defined Italian design in the twentieth century: chairs, lamps, radios, typewriters, cars, kitchenware and furniture by names such as Gio Ponti, the Castiglioni brothers, Ettore Sottsass, Vico Magistretti and Gaetano Pesce, arranged so you can trace how postwar Italy reinvented everyday things. Around it, the Triennale runs a busy programme of temporary exhibitions on architecture, design, fashion, photography and contemporary art, plus performances in the Teatro dell'Arte and talks and events in the building's open spaces. You do not need a ticket to enjoy everything: the entrance hall, the bookshop with its design books and objects, the café and the garden, with sculptures and installations among the trees, are open to all, and the upper terrace restaurant looks over the park toward the Sforza Castle. Next door stands the Torre Branca, Gio Ponti's slender steel tower from the same year as the palace. The Triennale is busiest and most exciting during Milan Design Week in April, when the whole city becomes a showroom, but it is worth an afternoon at any time of year.
Tickets: the design museum and the major exhibitions are ticketed, sometimes separately and sometimes as a combined day ticket, and some smaller shows and events are free. Buy on the official site, which also lists the current programme and opening hours; the Triennale is generally open from late morning into the evening and closed on Mondays, but times change during Design Week and for special events. Students and young visitors get reduced prices.
How to see it well: decide in advance which exhibitions interest you, because the programme changes several times a year and a full visit to everything can easily take three hours. The design museum alone takes about an hour at a steady pace; look for the way it explains the role of the Milanese manufacturers, as well as the famous designers. Then have a drink or a meal on the terrace or in the garden café, which is one of the best-kept secrets of Parco Sempione, especially on a warm evening.
Getting there and combining: the Triennale is on Viale Alemagna, a short walk from Cadorna station (metro M1 and M2 and the Malpensa Express) and from the Sforza Castle across the park. Pair it with a walk through Parco Sempione to the Arco della Pace, or with the castle's museums. Design lovers can head on to Armani/Silos and MUDEC in the Tortona district for a full design day.
What to expect
The experience
A design and arts institution with the permanent Italian Design Museum, several changing exhibitions, a theatre, a bookshop, a garden and a terrace restaurant.
Best time
Weekday afternoons for quiet galleries, early evening for the terrace. Design Week in April is the most exciting and most crowded time.
How long
One hour for the design museum, two or three with exhibitions.
Tips
Check the programme online and choose your exhibitions in advance. The garden, bookshop and café are free to enjoy without a ticket. Generally closed on Mondays.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who came to Milan for design: the clearest introduction to the objects that made Italian design famous.
- Families
- Older children and teenagers enjoy the design museum's chairs, lamps and scooters; the garden and park give space to run.
- Couples
- A gallery afternoon followed by an aperitivo on the terrace over Parco Sempione.
- Pair with
- Parco Sempione and the Sforza Castle, or Armani/Silos and MUDEC for a full design day.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours.
Good questions
What is the Triennale?+
Milan's main institution for design, architecture and the arts, based since 1933 in Giovanni Muzio's Palazzo dell'Arte in Parco Sempione. It houses the Italian Design Museum, temporary exhibitions, a theatre and public spaces.
Do I need a ticket?+
For the design museum and the main exhibitions, yes. The entrance hall, bookshop, café, garden and some events are free.
Which designers are featured in the design museum?+
The great names of twentieth-century Italian design, among them Gio Ponti, the Castiglioni brothers, Ettore Sottsass, Vico Magistretti and Gaetano Pesce, alongside the manufacturers who made their work.
When is it open?+
Generally from late morning into the evening, closed on Mondays, with changes during Design Week and for events. Check the official site before visiting.
How do I get there?+
Walk from Cadorna station, served by metro lines M1 and M2 and the Malpensa Express, or cross Parco Sempione from the Sforza Castle.
