Milan opens 33-year concession for Palazzo Dugnani as science and culture hub

The Municipality of Milan has launched a public tender for the 33-year concession of Palazzo Dugnani, a historic 17th-century palace near Porta Venezia. The winning bidder must restore the 5,000 sqm building—featuring frescoes by Tiepolo—and open it to the public as a scientific-cultural center or a museum of media and images. The annual base concession fee is €1.633 million, with 70% of the evaluation based on project quality rather than price. Restoration costs are estimated at €20 million, deductible from the concession fee, meaning the operator will start paying rent after about ten years. The tender, open until August 29, 2025, targets companies, temporary business associations, and international museums. Two thematic areas are proposed: scientific (linked to the nearby Natural History Museum and sustainability) or visual communication, media history, and image perception (potentially hosting a Photography Museum). Culture Councillor Tommaso Sacchi stated the initiative aims to enhance the city's cultural offering and integrate with existing museum programming. The palace, originally built for the Cavalchini family, later passed to the Casati and Dugnani families, who transformed it into a cultural venue hosting poets and artists.