The Pirelli Group was founded in Milan in 1872 and has since become one of the world’s top tyre manufacturers. The realisation that protecting its cultural heritage was a matter of great importance both for the company and for the community it works in, led in 2008 to the decision to set up the Pirelli Foundation. The Foundation, which is based in the heart of the Pirelli Headquarters in Milan, preserves documents from the beginning through to the present day. A key feature of the 3.5 kilometres of documents in the Historical Archive is the communication section, which testifies to the intense collaboration between Pirelli and intellectuals, designers and photographers. The holdings include thousands of photos taken by such masters as Gabriele Basilico and Ugo Mulas, hundreds of sketches by designers like Bruno Munari and Bob Noorda, and auteur films and house-organs such as Pirelli magazine. The Foundation also maintains a Scientific and Technical Library with over 16,000 volumes and it manages the Group’s company libraries.

Pirelli’s corporate culture is promoted by the Foundation through exhibitions, publishing projects, guided tours, and research, all of which are used to support the company administrations, professionals and students, constantly investing in improving its communication and digital archiving instruments.

The Foundation also works in the world of education, with courses for schools and universities, in order to introduce young people to the world of production and work, as well as to Pirelli’s core values.