The MPC - Materials Physics Center - is a non-profit organisation founded by Ikerbasque - Basque Foundation for Science -, the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council - Diputación Foral de Guipuzcoa / Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia - and Donostia International Physics Center - DIPC. The MPC was first established on 3rd April 2009, and is registered since 23rd April 2009 as a Center for Basic Research and Excellence in the Basque Network for Science, Technology and Innovation.

MPC's long term objective is becoming an intellectual forum and international landmark for excellence in material science. MPC promotes and carries out activities in fundamental and oriented research, thus decisively contributing to knowledge generation based in research excellence, post-graduated training and spreading of popular science.

Since its beginnings, the structural organisation and activities of MPC have been coordinated with those of Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM), which is a joint center by the University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Indeed, MPC does not intend to be self-sufficient, but rather to remain tightly associated with CFM, and with the public institutions supporting it.