Achille and Bruno, Free to Play

Inside the former studio of Achille Castiglioni, bordering Parco Sempione, Milan’s central park, there are gadgets and gizmos, sunglasses and a curling stone. Looking at the late Italian designer’s treasure trove of trinkets that were squirreled away by the architect, it’s easy to wonder if toys ever made their way into his oeuvre of chairs, shelves, and teapots. 

‘No!’ remarks Marco Marzini, co-curator of ‘Achille and Bruno, Free to Play,’ Fondazione Achille Castiglioni’s 2026–2027 exhibition on the works of Castiglioni and Bruno Munari. ‘But he collected and preserved countless toys both in his studio and at home, for personal amusement and as design inspiration, but also to play with his children and friends.’