MAC Niteroi
Contemporary Art Museum of Rio de Janeiro, familiarly known as MAC Niteroi, because it is located in the city of Niteroi, is one of the main attractions that can not be missed, not only for the works of art exhibited in its rooms but for the building itself, the work of the father of modern Brazilian architecture, Oscar Niemeyer.
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A spectacular «white flower»
Built on the Mirante de Boa Viagem (good trip viewpoint) in the town of Niteroi, on the other side of Guanabara Bay (in front of the city of Rio de Janeiro), the impressive building emerges from a cylindrical base, rising from the ground As if it were a flower.
Nothing better to understand the conception of MAC Niteroi, than the words of its own creator: “The terrain was narrow, surrounded by the sea and the solution occurred naturally, taking as its starting point the inevitable central support. From him, architecture happened spontaneously like a flower. The view towards the sea was beautiful and had to be taken advantage of. I suspended the building and under it, the panorama spread even richer. I defined then the profile of the museum. A line that is born from the ground and without interruption grows and unfolds, sensual, to coverage. The shape of the building, which I always imagined circulating, was fixed and inside, I stopped passionately. Around the museum I created an open gallery towards the sea, repeating it on the second floor, like a mezzanine inclined over the great exhibition hall. ”
The spectacular «White Flower» that houses the Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum, has a circular shape, 50 meters in diameter and a total height of 16 meters and is supported by a «stem» 5 meters high that seems to sprout from a small lagoon thanks to the water mirror that surrounds the building at ground level. A winding and wide ramp 98 meters long, painted ruby red gives access to the first and second floors of the building.
In addition to the idyllic image of the architectural design (which some have also compared with a flying saucer), one of Niemeyer’s priorities when designing the MAC Niteroi was that once inside, visitors could make a stop to enjoy the wonderful views of the bay and mountains of Rio de Janeiro, highlighting the famous Sugarloaf and Corcovado, in the background. For this reason, the main hexagonal exhibition hall is surrounded by a large gallery with huge glass windows, which serves as a balcony with 360 ° views.
As for the exhibited works of art, the Rio de Janeiro Contemporary Art Museum – MAC Niteroi currently has 369 works donated by artists who have exhibited in the museum since its inauguration in 1996, together with the 1,217 works belonging to the João Sattamini Collection formed by the works of the main contemporary artists of Brazil. Multiple temporary exhibitions are also held throughout the year.
In the semi-basement of the building is the MAC Bistro, a pleasant restaurant with excellent panoramic views of the bay, which serves sandwiches, coffees, sweets and tasty lunches at a more than reasonable price, so it is a highly recommended option . On the same level there is a small auditorium with capacity for 60 people.
Whether for the interest in contemporary art or just for knowing this unique building, the work of one of the most important architects in the world, MAC Niteroi deserves to be considered within the unmissable places of Rio de Janeiro.
Visit Contemporary Art Museum
MAC Niteroi schedule
Exhibition Space: Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Patio: Daily: 09:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Friday and Saturday until midnight, just like the Bistro)
Prices
General public: R $ 10
Students and adults over 60 years: R $ 5
Children under 7 years: free entry
Wednesday: free entry
How to get to Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum
To get there you have to take the ferry that leaves from Praça XV de Novembro (in the center) to the port of Niteroi, the journey takes approximately 35 minutes and is not expensive. Once in Niteroi you have to take a taxi or bus 47B at the bus terminal located on the left side of the port, if in doubt anyone will know how to indicate the correct bus. Another option is to go overland crossing the spectacular Rio-Niteroi bridge, buses 741-D, 751-D and 761-D make this route and leave in the Ingá neighborhood, near the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Address: Mirante da Boa Viagem, s / n – Niterói
Telephone: (+55 21) 2620 2400/2620 2481
Website: www.macniteroi.com.br
Location map
Nearby places
Leme beach
Image and Sound Museum
