The MAP — Museo delle Arti Plastiche (Museum of Plastic Arts) is a contemporary art museum in Varese, Lombardy, dedicated to the relationship between artistic creativity and plastic materials. Located in the province of Varese, a region historically linked to the plastics industry, the museum explores how designers, artists, and manufacturers have used synthetic materials as a medium for aesthetic and cultural expression from the twentieth century to the present.
At a glance
- Type
- Contemporary art and design museum
- Period
- Contemporary (collections span 20th–21st century)
- Style
- Museum / exhibition space
- Location
- Varese, Lombardy, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.7546° N, 8.8663° E
Overview
The MAP sits within Varese’s cultural landscape, a province already distinguished by its concentration of early twentieth-century Liberty villas and a strong tradition of applied arts and industrial design. The museum’s focus on plastics as artistic material reflects the province’s industrial heritage, where manufacturers such as Kartell established global reputations for using synthetic materials in design. The collection brings together works that challenge perceptions of plastics as purely utilitarian, presenting them instead as a medium with rich aesthetic and cultural potential.
History
The museum was established to document and celebrate the creative uses of plastic materials in art and design, a theme of particular relevance to the Varese area, which became a centre of the Italian plastics and design industry in the postwar decades. The collection includes objects spanning industrial design, fine art, and experimental works that use synthetic materials as their primary medium. The museum represents an effort to preserve this specific chapter of Italian design and industrial history for future generations.
What you see
Visitors to the MAP encounter a curated collection of objects, artworks, and design pieces that demonstrate the aesthetic possibilities of plastic materials across different eras and contexts. Exhibits range from classic mid-century design objects to contemporary art installations, tracing the evolution of synthetic materials from utilitarian by-products to celebrated creative media. Temporary exhibitions complement the permanent collection, offering fresh perspectives on the intersection of art, design, and material culture.
Cultural significance
As a museum dedicated to a single material family, the MAP occupies a distinctive niche within Italy’s rich museum landscape, connecting the province’s industrial heritage to international conversations about design, sustainability, and material culture. It contributes to Varese’s growing identity as a centre for design culture, alongside its established reputation for Liberty architecture and the collections of Villa Panza.
Practical information
- Address
- Varese, Lombardy, Italy
- Hours
- Check official website or contact the museum directly for current opening times
- Admission
- Check official website
Getting there
Varese is connected to Milan by train (Trenord, approximately 50–60 minutes from Milano Cadorna or Milano Nord Varese line). By car, take the A8 motorway from Milan (Autostrada dei Laghi) and exit at Varese. Local bus services connect the railway station to various parts of the city. For the exact museum address and directions, consult the official website or local tourist information.
Sources & resources
- Cultural Heritage Online: culturalheritageonline.com
- Wikipedia: Varese
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