Lovers of modern art, check out these museums in Rome

In spite of appearances and reputation, Rome has a thriving modern (and contemporary) art scene. There are private galleries, art centers, foundations and, on top of it all, museums. It’s a complicated landscape, too, and while we can’t list all of them, this post wants to at least point to the unmissable spots to visit while you’re here as you make the most of your time!

The MAXXI has a complex, fascinating history – born out of a reclaimed army base, imagined by the late, great Zaha Hadid while eating a bowl of pasta, flung in the middle of an otherwise quiet residential neighborhood and despised as much as it is adored…. This national museum of contemporary art is a staple in Rome’s cultural landscape, with unmissable temporary exhibitions from Italian and international artists. And the permanent collection is equally enchanting. Go here for the views alone, or check out the cafeteria, the next-door lounge/restaurant (“Mediterraneo”) or the bookshop.

There are several national galleries in Rome, but the one everybody knows is the one whose name is technically “Galleria Nazionale di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea”, at a short distance from the Maxxi. The building you will probably recognize, as it was featured many years ago on Ocean’s Twelve, but do take a tour inside and expect to be blown away: true to its name, the Galleria exhibits works from the late 1800s, the 1900s and even from the current century. Big names like Man Ray, Georg Klimt or Andy Warhol sit side by side with Alberto Burri, Anish Kapoor, Sam Taylor-Johnson and so many more.

Because Rome is, on an organizational level, both its own city and the capital of Italy, sometimes you happen upon a… Duplicate. This is also true for museums! Case in point, the beautiful Odile Decq-designed Macro museum is the city’s contemporary art museum, focused on works by young and emerging artists and offering a lively calendar of lectures, projections and even concerts. Entrance is free.

Speaking of duplicates, the City Gallery of Modern Art sounds like another one – but the works exhibited here are incredibly different from what’s on show at, say, the Macro, and draw from a collection of over 3000 pieces created between the 1800s and the 1900s. Among them, most of the artists were from Rome or worked in Rome: Giorgio de Chirico, Giorgio Morandi, Renato Guttuso, Mario Mafai, Giacomo Balla, Giuseppe Capogrossi… Even if you don’t know them, take a peek here: the building used to be a convent, and you’re bound to pass by it sooner rather than later as this small museum is located by Trevi Fountain.

Another former religious building (note the adjoining church of Santa Maria della Pace) turned into an exhibition space, this is the home to temporary big name exhibitions, from Banksy to Basquiat: but if you don’t like what is on, go check out the beautiful cloister and enjoy a drink at the cafe there!

If you’ve seen (or taken!) pictures from the Altar of the Fatherland, this building will be featured prominently in them, as it stands on the corner of Via del Corso and Piazza Venezia. The name is a big hint that this used to belong to none other than Napoleon’s family. Now it’s a private exhibition space focusing on contemporary and modern artists, from painters to sculptors to photographers.

Another very centrally located exhibition (the name says it all!) space, this complex is particularly focused in photography (but they do investigate other mediums, too). Some of the events take place at their second wing over in Testaccio, in the former abattoir (Mattatoio).