Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro

The decision to establish the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro was made by a group of Brazilian big businessmen in 1948. The group was headed by the famous collector R. De Castro Maya. The museum was opened in 1951, and a year later it was temporarily moved to the Kapanema Palace.

In 1952, the city authorities allocated 40,000 square meters for the construction of a new museum. It was built near Guanabara Bay in the northeast of Flamengo Park. The park, under the direction of architect A. Reidy and landscape designer R. Marx, was laid out on the territory of a former landfill. This explains the 20-meter columns that serve as supports for the large-scale structure, going deep into the ground. The construction of the park lasted for 10 years (1950-1960). The administrative headquarters of the museum appeared in 1958. The first showroom already received visitors in 1963.

The project of the museum building was carried out by architect A. Reidy. The construction was completed in 1955. A huge outdoor area adorns the space in front of the entrance to the main building and the museum theater. Special metal blinds are installed on the north side. They help regulate the flow of sunlight in the gallery. The landscape design was designed by R. Marx. It was he who created the Modernist Gardens, one of the unique features of the museum. The courtyard around it has a large original ramp in the shape of a spiral, which rises to the upper tiers and the roof. It has an excellent observation deck with magnificent views of the picturesque bay and the famous Sugar Loaf Mountain. There is also a cozy restaurant on the terrace.

The Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro is also an art center. It consists of exhibition halls, studio rooms for lectures, a theater, a storage room and a number of secondary and service rooms - a dining room, administration rooms, workshops and others. A terrible fire in 1978 destroyed 90% of the museum's exhibits. Among them are paintings by P. Picasso, S. Dali, J., Miro and other famous masters.

Currently, the exhibitions of the Museum of Modern Art feature works from its own collection, acquired by sponsors and patrons, leased from the collection of the famous collector J. Chateaubriand. There are not many expositions, but they occupy all three floors. The museum has more than 10 thousand exhibits in its collection.

Conferences, seminars and other events are held in the museum premises.