Formerly known as Rome's Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery, and before that formerly known as the Peroni beer factory, this redesigned industrial space has brought new life to the gallery and museum scene of a city formerly known for its then, not its now. The collection here covers Italian contemporary artists from the 1960s through today. Its sister museum, MACRO al Mattatoio (Piazza O. Giustiniani) is housed in a renovated slaughterhouse in the up-and-coming Testaccio district, and features temporary exhibits and installations by current artists, open until midnight, with free admission. The goal of both spaces is to bring current art to the public in nontraditional museum spaces, and, not incidentally, to give support and recognition to Rome's contemporary art scene, which labors in the shadow of the city's artistic heritage. After a few days -- or millennia -- of dusty marble, it's a breath of fresh air.
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