Milan will have a museum dedicated to Gio Ponti

Milan is preparing to further enrich its cultural landscape with a project that looks to the heart of twentieth-century Italian design: by the end of 2026, a permanent museum dedicated to Gio Ponti will open inside the ADI Design Museum. The announcement was made during the presentation of the exhibition In-Play. Design for Sport, currently on view in the museum’s spaces (until April 6): a preview that looks toward the future rather than a temporary event.
The idea is to create a permanent presence, not simply a celebratory section, but a place for study, research, and public engagement, capable of continuously presenting the figure - and above all the method - of Gio Ponti.

To host the new space, the project includes an expansion of the current building with the addition of a mezzanine, increasing the exhibition area and accommodating archives, research materials, and educational activities. Not just objects on display, therefore, but a true research center: a living space designed for students, professionals, and enthusiasts. The curatorial direction is currently being defined, and further details will be shared in the coming months.


ph. Denise Manzi

The choice of location is not accidental. The Compasso d’Oro Collection, preserved by ADI, has its roots in Ponti’s own intuition: he was among the first to understand how industrial design could become shared culture, a collective narrative, a form of heritage. After all, it is almost impossible to talk about Milan without mentioning Gio Ponti. Architect, designer, theorist, editor, and teacher, his work spans the entire Italian twentieth century, escaping any single definition. Ponti designed buildings that reshaped the city’s skyline, such as the Grattacielo Pirelli, as well as objects that entered everyday domestic life, like the iconic Superleggera chair. He worked with industry, craftsmanship, and publishing - founding Domus - helping to build a modern idea of design as a system rather than simply a form.
More than a style, he left behind an attitude: curiosity, lightness, and the ability to move across different scales. The museum will open by 2026. And, as often happens with the best projects, it will not only be a tribute to a master, but an invitation to put his ideas back into circulation.