Modern art is not what most people think of when they think of art in Rome. However, Rome is home to Italy's extensive national collection of modern and contemporary art, housed in its own impressive 20th century building.


Not long after the unification of Italy, the Italian statesman and physcian Guido Baccelli led a movement to create a national gallery of modern and contempoary art in Rome. As a result, the National Gallery of Modern and Contempoary Art (Galleria Nazionale d'Arc Moderna e Contemporanea) was founded in 1883.


In 1915, the collection was moved to a new dedicated Palace of Fine Art, which had been designed by Cesar Bezzani. The building was expanded in 1934, doubling its size. An additional building was added in 1988 but closed after 10 years due to safety concerns. A project is underway to revitalize that building.


The National Gallery of Modern Art has a collection of some 20,000 works. It is Italy's largest collection of 19th to 21st century art. Approximately, 1,100 paintings and sculptures are on display at any one time in the museum's 55 rooms. Inasmuch as this museum is not high on most tourist's list of things to do in Rome, its spacious modern galleries are often not crowded, making it easier and more pleasant to study the art.


Naturally, there is an emphasis on works by Italian artists. However, the museum also has important works by foreign artists such as Monet, Degas, Rodin, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Calder, Moore and Pollock to name a few.


The National Gallery of Modern Art is located across the park from the  Borghese Gallery. For more information on visiting, see the National Gallery's website.

Above: The exterior of the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art.
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Below:  The galleries in the museum are spacious and uncrowded.

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Places to see art - - Rome, Italy - - National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art​