It’s new. It’s marvelous. It’s expensive. It’s empty. But finally is there !

MAXXI, the contemporary art museum of Rome has been unveiled today, with an inauguration that is actually dedicated to the building itself since the museum is still empty. The art works will come during the following months, and the opening is expected for May 2010.

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Anyway this morning the architect Zaha Hadid celebrated the event with the Minister of Culture, the Minister of Transportation, various local authorities and a big media crowd. This marks the end of a construction that went through ten years of work, delays and debates, and that raised the total cost to more than 150 million Euro.

The MAXXI is another wonderful addition to the contemporary Roman architectural landscape after the Ara Pacis Museum and church at Tor Tre Teste both by Richard Meier and the Parco della Musica by Renzo Piano.

The name MAXXI is celebrating the 21st Century and is derived from XXI, 21 in Roman numbers. It is located in Via Guido Reni 4, in the Flaminio neighborhood.

The museum will be open to the public 14 and 15 November only (reservation needed) and then will be closed again until next spring.

MAXXI Museum website

NYT article 

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