MAXXI

In a city like Rome, where history is everywhere, and every street corner seems to carry deep cultural significance, sometimes you long to see something new, something that hasn’t already been part of the eternal city for hundreds of years.

MAXXI – which is not one but two museums, one dedicated to art and one to architecture – opened its doors as late as 2010, making it a very recent contribution.

Already the same year, the project was awarded the Stirling Prize of the Institute of British Architects, and was called by The Guardian, “Hadid’s finest built work to date”.  

Designed by Zaha Hadid, the museum offers an almost unique experience to its visitors, not easily translated into written language.

Taking more than ten years to build, MAXXI (short for Museo Nazionale delle Art del XXI Secolo, or National Museum of Art for the 21st century) is a national museum, managed by a foundation created by the Italian ministry of cultural heritage.

It is the first Italian public museum devoted to contemporary creativity, arts and architecture. 

The exhibition halls can be considered artistic creations in their own right, and the ways in which they are connected with one another creates a sense of the building being present, watching and gently guiding her guests. In this way, MAXXI can be said to supersede notions of the art museum as simply offering a contextual frame for the art on display, to instead suggest that the space in some ways can be equally important as the artworks.

The best word to describe a visit to MAXXI is “surprise”, as one can never be sure of what new angle, perspective or play with space awaits around the corner.

The suspended walkways twist and turn, and suddenly, the space will open up and allow the visitor to have an overview of several stories at the same time. It is often said that windows reveal the soul of a building, but at MAXXI, the windows do more than that, as they affect the very structure and shape of the museum building.

It’s instantly recognizable as a work by Hadid, defined by her characteristic futuristic approach, with curving facades, sharp angles and the consistent use of concrete and steel.

MAXXI

Via Guido Reni, 4a, 00196

Roma RM, Italy