The MUDEC - Museum of Cultures in Milan was established in 2015 to present the civic ethnographic collections to the public in the new location of the former Ansaldo building, designed by David Chipperfield in the design district of via Tortona.

The exhibition path of the permanent collection Objects of Encounter at MUDEC, inaugurated in 2015, represented a journey through time and space made through encounters/clashes with the "other", from the 17th century to the present day.

Five years later, reflecting on the role and responsibilities of ethnographic museums in contemporary debate, in 2020 it was decided to reorganize the permanent exhibition at 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 the present day: thus "Milan Global. The world seen from here" was born, inaugurated in September 2021, the result of a participatory museography process conducted by the Conservatory and the Office of Networks and Cultural Cooperation of MUDEC. Through a selection of objects from the MUDEC collections and other institutions, visitors can familiarize themselves with complex concepts such as globalization, imperialism, and mercantilism.

After a focus on the Settala Collection, the exhibition addresses the advent of globalization in the early modern era through the great geographical discoveries, Milan's entry into the Spanish Empire, and the city's subsequent relations with the Americas.

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

Africa takes center stage in the third room: here crucial themes are addressed such as commercial relations, colonization and decolonization, with particular attention to Italian events.

This historical part of the exhibition is followed by a dive into contemporary times dedicated to contemporary Afro-descendant artists active in multicultural Milan: a participatory museography project carried out in collaboration with academics, experts, activists, cultural mediators, and artists.

Throughout the path, immersive multimedia installations accompany visitors, allowing them to delve deeper into the proposed themes independently, along with a series of video interviews with diasporic interlocutors - curated by the Milano Città Mondo project - which promote a more empathetic understanding of the migrant perspective.

The management of MUDEC consists of a partnership between public and private sectors, involving collaboration between the Municipality of Milan and 24 ORE Cultura - Gruppo 24 ORE.

The scientific direction is entrusted to the Municipality of Milan, which is responsible for the conservation and enhancement of heritage through temporary exhibitions in the Focus Rooms, conferences, and events in the Space of Cultures "Khaled al-Asaad". 24 ORE Cultura, on the other hand, is responsible for organizing temporary exhibitions (hosted on the first floor and in the new Mudec Photo spaces) and managing additional services, including an auditorium, Mudec Lab with creative and multimedia workshops for children, Mudec Design Store, bookshop, and high-quality restaurant and bistro.

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