Contemporary art requires contemporary venues where pieces get into harmony with the space. This is what makes the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, also called MAC, a distinct place in the world of art. The pearl of Brazil, the institution has become one of the main tourist destinations in the country since 1996. Let’s get a closer look at the monumental museum and learn more about its structure, history, art, and even some past scandals connected to the construction.

The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, the Pearl of Brazil

MAC was designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer who worked side by side with his colleague Bruno Contarini to develop the whole concept of the museum and then transform it into reality. From the very beginning, the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum had two purposes: the storage and exhibition of art collections and the tourist destination with catching the aesthetics of the building. And those two purposes were successfully achieved.

Indeed, the design of the building is something so charmingly unusual and eloquent that you start experiencing the power of aesthetics even without going within. It took five years, 300 workers, and 5,500 tons of material to accomplish it. Inside, you can find modern furniture designed by Anna Maria Niemeyer, Oscar’s daughter. What makes the structure especially valuable is the absence of visual obstructions between nature and visitors. That’s how you can make a huge piece of cement look harmonic in the environment. When it comes to the land, though, there is an unpleasant story that once was a political scandal in the past. To cut a long story short, several politicians, who were also people of interest, in that case, speculated on the cost of the land and bought it at a low price. However, it didn’t really influence the reputation of the museum afterward.

The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum is home to a comprehensive collection of more than 1200 works from João Sattaminiand and 350 works donated by artists who exhibited their art in the past. These include Dionísio Del Santo, Aluísio Carvão, and Lygia Clark, among others. All of them are bright representatives of contemporary art in Brazil. In fact, the entire building is a multi-layered complex where you can not only explore the permanent museum collection but also take a look at the installations, visit the auditorium, and eat at the restaurant. Make sure to add it to your travel bucket list!