Diocesan Museum Extension

Authors’ Comment

The Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio, located in the historic area of Milan, has been an important religious and cultural landmark since the medieval period. Today, the basilica complex also houses the Diocesan Museum, dedicated to sacred art, reinforcing the site’s role as a space of memory and faith. In order to expand the current Diocesan Museum, the project proposes the creation of a museum dedicated to restored musical instruments, complemented by research and restoration laboratories. This initiative aims to highlight the value of sound heritage and integrate it into an educational and exhibition circuit. Music has always played a fundamental role in religious rituals, serving as a way of connection between the faithful and the divine. The decision to create a museum musical instruments naturally aligns with the spiritual character of the site. The new museum will enrich the cultural landscape, support the preservation of religious musical heritage, and become an active center for education and research.
The project concept is “undertones”. In music, undertones are the low, subtle frequencies that accompany the main note. We don’t always hear them clearly, but they give each sound depth and identity. These frequencies act like invisible layers of vibration, building the internal architecture of the tone—making a sound not only heard, but also felt. They are the hidden side of music, the foundation that supports everything on the surface. In the same way, the new museum lies beneath the surface, in the invisible layers of the city of Milan, next to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio, where the past still resonates in silence.