National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The gallery was established in 1883, only twelve years after Rome became the capital of Italy.

2. 2

   The building was designed by Cesare Bazzani specifically to host the 1911 International Exposition.

3. 3

   Gustav Klimt's 'The Three Ages of Woman' is the only work by the artist held in an Italian public collection.

4. 4

   The museum's central hall, the Salone Centrale, is one of the largest exhibition spaces in Rome.

5. 5

   The 'Time is Out of Joint' exhibition layout was designed by art historian Cristiana Collu to disrupt standard art historical narratives.

6. 6

   The collection includes works by Antonio Canova, bridging the gap between neoclassical and modern sensibilities.

7. 7

   It holds significant holdings of the 'Scuola Romana' artists active in the interwar period.

Overview

The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GNAM) is Italy's primary institution for 19th and 20th-century art. Located in the Palazzo delle Belle Arti, it houses over 4,400 paintings and sculptures. The collection includes significant works by Amedeo Modigliani, Gustav Klimt, and Vincent van Gogh. It also hosts the most extensive collection of futurist art in the country. The museum underwent a major re-curation of its permanent collection, 'Time is Out of Joint,' which abandons chronological order to highlight aesthetic dialogues between eras. The building itself is an example of late 19th-century monumental architecture, commissioned by Cesare Bazzani. It features expansive, light-filled rooms that contrast with the dense, traditional arrangement of many other Roman museums. The museum frequently stages temporary contemporary exhibitions alongside its core inventory.

Insider tips

• Prioritize the Salone Centrale first as it contains the most iconic large-scale works and provides a sense of the building's scale.

• Check the official website for current temporary exhibition rotations, as the permanent collection is occasionally re-hung.

• Utilize the museum's outdoor courtyard spaces if weather permits for a quiet break from the interior.