One million from the Ministry to expand the National Museum of Photography

The National Museum of Photography - MUNAF - is preparing for an expansion thanks to a €1 million grant included in the Ministry of Culture’s Major Cultural Projects 2025-2026 plan. The grant, earmarked for the Municipality of Cinisello Balsamo (Milan), owner of Villa Ghirlanda Silva, will be entirely used for works to re-functionalize and expand the museum, with the aim of consolidating the facility as a pole of international scope dedicated to the image.

“I am proud that a united team with the City of Cinisello and the Ministry of Culture has contributed to this important result,” said MUNAF President Davide Rondoni. “This is the first step in a journey that we hope will be even more important for the city and the nation, being a National Museum. I sincerely thank for the work done the Board, the Minister and his staff, and the Under Secretaries.”

The work will affect the entire main floor of the main body of the Villa, transforming about 900 square meters into modern exhibition spaces without altering the historical integrity. Areas involved include the 17th-century Quadrerie, the Sala dei Paesaggi, the former library rooms and the loggias. The goal is to create environments capable of hosting permanent exhibitions and international contemporary photography projects, combining historic architectural beauty with state-of-the-art exhibition needs. In particular, the project includes the recovery of the grand staircase, an element of historical and symbolic value of the villa. The financing and the start of the work are the result of close collaboration between the City Council, the Museum’s management and the Ministry of Culture, as well as the participation of the Metropolitan City of Milan as the founding body of MUNAF. The operation reflects the desire to strengthen the city’s monumental heritage at the service of a high-level cultural offer, capable of fitting into the international panorama of photography.

One million from the Ministry to expand the National Museum of Photography

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