The permanent exhibition layout in the museum is set out over two floors in the building, where you can admire more than 140 works in 13 sections. Our visit begins on the ground floor, in the cloister, which is home to Roman relics, displayed in the form of a lapidarium. Archaeological finds tell us that Monza existed in ancient times, but it was with the Romans that the village saw the greatest development: an imposing bridge was built to pass over the River Lambro, through the centre and make travel to the Alps easier. The community of Monza is documented by the numerous burial stones that have come to light in the form of re-purposed materials in many city buildings. Inscriptions on these relics – mainly from cemeteries or votive altars – tell us about veteran legionnaires, freedmen, and families devoted to the divinities of Olympus.
A Corinthian half capital from a very large building (now lost) stands out among the pieces displayed in the cloister, together with the lid to a sarcophagus from the late Roman period, but re-used in the Middle Ages, as shown by the carved inscription.
Before you go into the museum, pause a moment to look at the mediaeval measure, a stone of notable size used by the Municipality to guarantee official measurements of weight, length and width for tiles and bricks, for example.
Now enter the museum and walk into the oval room on the left of the ticket office, where you will see the “Ara dei Modiciates”. This is the top part of a votive altar dedicated to Hercules by the young people of Monza – the Modiciates. The inscription is the oldest proof of the city’s original name, Modicia, which would go on to become Modoetia in the mediaeval period and finally, Monza. This stone was donated by Count Carlo Ghirlanda Silva in 1874. It was found in the English-style garden of the family villa in Cinisello Balsamo, where it had been placed as an ornamental feature. The donation in fact led to the creation of the art collections owned by the municipality and intended for display in the museum. It was given by the owner in the hope that a public museum would be established.
Further proof of Monza’s ancient origins can be seen in a display case containing fragments of swords and pins dating back to the Bronze Age, found in the city at the end of the 19th century. This room also contains different relics from the Middle Ages, like the bronze bushel used for official measurement and the decorative architectural features from buildings long-since demolished. In the centre of the wall is a detached fresco of the “Deposition of Christ”, dating back to the latter half of the 16th century. The fresco decorated a room in the Casa degli Umiliati when it was still inhabited by members of the order.
The route through the ground floor continues with a distinct time shift, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary period. Come out of the oval room and continue to the right. The next room contains works by award-winning young artists from the Biennali Giovani Monza, important occasions to explore developments in expressive techniques in the 21st century. The works on display here feature a wide variety of techniques and materials, ranging from sculpture to painting and photography, which showcase the creative freedom of young generations of artists.