The Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo is preparing to welcome the public again! One of the first spaces dedicated to contemporary art in the country, the museum has been closed since August 2024 due to construction work on the Marquise at Ibirapuera Park.
The MAM-SP collection is impressive, bringing together more than 5,000 works, with a focus on the work of Brazilian artists from the 1960s onward. In addition to the visual arts, the venue houses one of the largest libraries specializing in art in the city of São Paulo, with more than 60,000 volumes.
Do you know the history of the Museum of Modern Art in São Paulo?
MAM São Paulo was founded in 1948 on the initiative of Francisco Matarazzo Sobrinho (known as “Ciccillo”) and Yolanda Penteado. Amid the cultural fervor sparked by the 1922 Modern Art Week, the couple drew inspiration from the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) to create an innovative cultural center in the metropolis of São Paulo.
However, the museum only moved into its current headquarters in the late 1960s. There was no better place to house it: a building designed by Oscar Niemeyer, integrated into the famous Marquise of Ibirapuera Park. Another highlight of the space is the Burle Marx Sculpture Garden, which offers 6,000 square meters of open-air art.
When will we be able to visit MAM-SP again?
Initially, the schedule called for the museum to reopen its doors by early 2025. However, delays in the completion of restoration work on the Ibirapuera Marquise, which is under the responsibility of the São Paulo City Government, forced the postponement of the plan.
Currently, the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo is expected to fully reopen in July 2026. Until then, the public can continue to follow the traveling exhibitions and online courses offered by the institution. Find out more on the museum’s official website!
