MAXXI (, "national museum of 21st-century arts") is a national museum of contemporary art and architecture in the Flaminio neighborhood of Rome, Italy. The museum is managed by a foundation created by the Italian ministry of cultural heritage. The building was designed by Zaha Hadid, and won the Stirling Prize of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2010.

History

An international design competition for the design of the museum building was won by Zaha Hadid. Her submission included five separate structures, of which only one was completed. It was built on the site of a former military barracks, the Caserma Montello, incorporating parts of it. The museum took more than ten years to build, and opened to the public in 2010. It received the Stirling Prize for architecture of the Royal Institute of British Architects in the same year. The Guardian has called the MAXXI building "Hadid's finest built work to date" and "a masterpiece fit to sit alongside Rome's ancient wonders".

Description

MAXXI consists of two museums: "MAXXI art" and "MAXXI architecture". The outdoor courtyard surrounding the museum provides a venue for large-scale works of art.

Gallery

MAXXI L'Aquila

MAXXI L'Aquila, in the Abruzzo region, opened on October 30, 2020. This gallery is an outpost of the national museum of contemporary art and architecture in Rome. L'Aquila is a city that has been severely damaged in an earthquake in 2009. 309 people died in that quake. The 18th-century Palazzo Ardinghelli that houses MAXXI L'Aquila had also been severely damaged, and was later restored by the Italian ministry of cultural heritage and tourism, with additional funding from the Russian government.

Collections

The permanent collections of these two museums grow through direct acquisitions, as well as through commissions, thematic competitions, awards for young artists, donations, and permanent loans. The collection includes: