Milan art fairs lack bike parking, critic argues for mobility managers

In a critical opinion piece published on Artribune, editor Massimiliano Tonelli argues that Milan's art fairs and cultural institutions systematically fail to accommodate visitors arriving by bicycle, despite widespread rhetoric about sustainability. Writing after a month of fairs including miart, MIA Photo Fair, and Salone del Mobile, Tonelli describes personal experiences of being denied bike parking at Superstudio during MIA and finding no bicycle facilities at FieraMilano for miart. He notes that the MUDEC museum provides secure bike parking, but most venues do not. Tonelli calls for the appointment of mobility managers—a role already existing in many companies and public institutions—to oversee accessibility for cyclists, parents with strollers, and disabled visitors. He argues that such a position would reduce traffic and emissions, increase visitor numbers, and deepen the connection between cultural venues and their cities. The piece was published on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, and reflects on the broader Italian context where cultural attractions from festivals to museums assume car travel.