Just for one night, 150 hidden design archives will open in Milan

From 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, April 24, on the occasion of the Milan Design Week 2026, 150 design archives will exceptionally open to the public throughout the city.

From the home-studios of designers such as Achille Castiglioni, Franco Albini and Vico Magistretti - along with the home-archives of Gae Aulenti, designed in the 1970s in the Brera district and now home to a fund that preserves hundreds of projects and materials - up to the archives and materials related to Gio Ponti, founder of Domus.

For one night, civic archives such as those of the Sforza Castle and collections dedicated to graphics and design become accessible, through a coordinated system of tours and special openings.

"Common Archive. La Notte Bianca del Progetto" brings together for the first time a widespread network of places - including institutions, foundations, case-archives and research centers - usually accessible only by appointment, or not open to the public. The result is a palimpsest that runs through Milan and activates an often invisible heritage.


The places involved also include ADI Design Museum, Triennale Milano with Core - Center for Studies, Archives, Research, CASVA - Center for High Studies on Visual Arts, the Archives of Fondazione Fiera Milano, the funds related to Danese Milano and the collections and archives of the Politecnico di Milano.

The project is curated by Susanna Legrenzi for the Salone del Mobile.Milano Observatory, with the School of Design of the Milan Polytechnic. Admission to the 150 funds spread throughout the city is available upon registration.

Opening image: Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash