The collection includes the monumental 'St. George and the Dragon' bronze by Salvador Dalí.
Carlo Bilotti, who donated the core of the collection, was a prominent Italian-American art collector and grandson of the founder of the Lucchese industrial group.
The museum functions as a linear gallery that stretches for over one kilometer along the city's main shopping thoroughfare.
Several sculptures by Giorgio de Chirico, including 'Ettore e Andromaca', are permanently installed here.
The MAB is one of the few instances in Europe where blue-chip contemporary art is displayed permanently in a high-traffic retail zone without security barriers.
The MAB Cosenza (Museo all'aperto Carlo Bilotti) is an extensive open-air contemporary art museum integrated directly into the pedestrianized Corso Mazzini in downtown Cosenza. Established through the patronage of Carlo Bilotti, the collection features permanent installations by internationally renowned artists including Salvador Dalí, Giorgio de Chirico, and Mimmo Rotonda. The sculptures are positioned along the central urban walkway, creating a dialogue between modernist art and the city's historic architectural fabric. The museum functions without perimeter walls or traditional entry points, allowing for constant public access. The collection serves as an urban regeneration project intended to integrate high-value artistic output into the daily routine of the local community. The sculptures represent movements spanning surrealism, futurism, and contemporary abstraction.
The 'St. George and the Dragon' sculpture, which offers a dramatic silhouette against the city streetscape.
Walk the full length of Corso Mazzini from Piazza Bilotti to the end of the pedestrian zone to see all major installations.
Visit in the late afternoon to capture the transition from natural daylight to the evening urban lighting that illuminates the bronze sculptures.
Scan the QR codes attached to the sculpture bases for historical context on the specific artists.
Do not mistake the nearby contemporary art galleries for the main MAB collection; the MAB is exclusively the outdoor display along the street.
