Holidays in Rome: until December, the Macro Asilo, the experimental project of the Museum of Via Nazionale

There is the ancient Rome. There is the capital of Christianity. There is the extraordinary artistic wealth of the Renaissance. But there are also new faces of the city to discover, if you want to make your holiday even more beautiful. If, for example, you have never associated Rome with the great names of the international art scene, it is time to think about it.

The Macro museum and the Macro Asilo project: an exceptional year for contemporary art lovers
Throughout 2019, contemporary art lovers have an unrepeatable opportunity to take on the fly: immerse themselves in the creative, informal atmosphere in continuous change of Macro Asilo, the experimental project that since last September is revolutionizing the Museum of Contemporary Art Macro. Aim? Offering the experience of a "museum where you do not go like a museum", and who likes to call himself a "real living organism".

Macro, the heart of the pole of the contemporary and of the future
In recent years the museum has already gained a prominent place in the artistic offer of the city, thanks to its permanent gallery and the exhibitions hosted. The ambition is now to transform it into the hub of the Contemporary and Future pole to which the Municipality is working. The Macro Asilo project is a first taste of the expected novelties. If you decide to dedicate half a day of your stay to discover it, you will find yourself greeted by a space where works of art, artistic performances, meetings with authors follow one another as you go through its rooms, offering new ideas every day.

Macro Asylum: how the museum opens up to the city and to tourists
If contemporary art is by its very nature a space of experimentation, the project devised by Giorgio de Finis goes a step further. The museum becomes a large space to be explored, in continuous change, you are invited to cross as freely as possible. To welcome you, you will find only one fixed element: it is the forum hall, where you can admire over 100 works from the permanent collection that surround the "Table of the tables" created by Michelangelo Pistoletto, an invitation to stop but also a space for collaboration and sharing.
Start from there, and then go to the rooms dedicated to reading, on the radio, to words. A very peculiar one is dedicated to Rome or, better, to the many "Romes" the city contains as a precious treasure chest. Visit the environments where the artists create installations and performances under the eyes of the visitors. Take a moment in the atelier rooms where the works take shape, which will then remain at the museum enriching his collection.
There is no map to follow, other than your imagination, ready to welcome the surprises that you will encounter on the day of your visit. If you then arrive at the Macro on Saturday, remember that in the evening you can enjoy a concert. Every day, instead, you will find artistic videos waiting for you, meetings with the author and "lectio magistralis" held by leading Italian and international authors. Among the names who already visited or that will be at the Macro, in addition to Michelangelo Pistoletto, there are Pablo Echaurren, Melania Mazzucco, Wim Wenders, Massimo Cacciari, Don Thompson and a long list of people able of interpreting contemporary thought. To find out in detail the whole program of the days you will spend in Rome, we suggest you to download the Macro Asilo app from the App store and from Google play that will take you to discover many original proposals.

From the restaurant to the library, all the services within the Macro
A museum is best enjoyed if it also offers the right space for relaxation. The Macro pampers its visitors from the morning coffee with MacroCafé. For the lunch break, on the top floor there is the Macro138 restaurant, managed by Nicolai Ricevimenti, which in summer opens up to the large terrace overlooking the city. If at home you want to go back and explore what was discovered at the museum, the library offers a rich selection of texts ranging from contemporary art to photography, from architecture to design. Books are accompanied by design objects and many proposals to bring children closer to art.

Where is the Macro and how to get there
The Macro is located in the Nomentano-Salario district, near the Aurelian Walls, inside the former factory where the Peroni beer was produced, returned to the city after an important recovery work. The main entrance is in Via Nizza 138, but the museum can also be accessed by Via Reggio Emilia 54. It is easily reached by public transport, in particular buses 38 and 89. If you want to arrive by car, the ramp in via Cagliari 31 gives access to the museum parking lot. The Macro is fully accessible to disabled people and people with reduced mobility, also thanks to the presence of the reception staff. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am until 8 pm., Saturdays until 10pm. Admission is free, and this is another reason to visit it ...

The structure of the Macro, a perfect example of industrial archaeology
Before leaving the Macro, have a look to its structure. Until 1971, Peroni beer was produced there. Once the activity was closed, a long work led to rethinking the spaces, thus giving back to the city a valuable example of industrial archaeology. In 2000, given the need for new spaces, a competition of ideas was launched, won by the French architect Odile Decq. By his hands, the environments have multiplied, connected by stairways, elevators, passages that transformed even the simple walk in this "neighbourhood of the art" into a satisfying cultural experience.

The Salario district: other ideas to complete your day
Leaving the Macro, if the weather invites you to stay outdoors we suggest you spend some time in the Salario district. This area, near the Aurelian Walls, is the result of the growth of the city of the early twentieth century and walking through its streets allows you to catch another little-known section of the capital.
The ancient hunting estates and country residences, such as Villa Patrizi, have given way to some interesting civil architecture, such as the covered market of via Alessandria and the Nomentano market, which is only 350 metres walk from the museum.
For fans of Christian history, the ancient Catacombs of Santa Felicita along Via Salaria represent a stop not to be missed. Arranged on three levels, in the oldest part they preserve the underground basilica dedicated to the Silano martyr and are one of the most expensive places for popular devotion.

Do you want to stay in Rome?

For this location we recommend Hotel Oxford, the ideal starting point to discover Rome!

16/10/2019
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