MACAM Museum and Hotel | Metro Urbe

Housed in the historic Palácio Condes da Ribeira Grande, between Lisbon’s Alcântara and Belém cultural districts, the site spans 13,000 square meters, including 2,000 square meters of exhibition space. Led by the Portuguese architectural studio MetroUrbe, the project carefully restored the 18th-century palace’s historic features while integrating a contemporary extension for MACAM’s dynamic temporary exhibitions. The striking façade of the new wing, designed by award- winning artist and ceramist Maria Ana Vasco Costa, features three-dimensional tiles that pay homage to Portugal’s rich tile-making heritage.

MACAM is brought to life by Portuguese Founder and Entrepreneur Armando Martins to showcase his personal art collection, which comprises more than 600 works, dating from the late 19th century to present day. MACAM represents the culmination of Armando Martins’ five-decade passion and commitment to acquiring modern and contemporary art and embodies Martins’ firm belief that art should be accessible to all. Under the project motto: The House of Private Collections, MACAM will also invite other private collectors to show their collections in MACAM’s exhibition space, further promoting the Founder’s mission to make personal collections open to the public.

On the ground floor of the transformed palace, visitors will find the permanent collection exhibition space, showcasing modern and contemporary art by both Portuguese and international artists. The collection features renowned names such as Marina Abramović, Helena Almeida, Olafur Eliasson, Elmgreen & Dragset, Isa Genzken, Liam Gillick, Dan Graham, Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, Julião Sarmento, Amadeo de Sousa Cardozo, Ernesto Neto, Júlio Pomar, Paula Rego, Thomas Struth, and many more. Upon entering MACAM, guests can access the permanent exhibition galleries, with the museum’sticket office to the right and the hotel reception to the left. From the entrance hall, hotel guests can ascend the grand staircase to the upper floors leading to the rooms.

For its inauguration, MACAM presents two temporary exhibitions in the new wing. The first is War: Reality, Myth and Fiction, curated by Carolina Quintela, exploring the fragility of life and the complexities of our world, marked by political, economic, and humanitarian crises. Through artworks from the MACAM collection, it reflects on truth, mythology, past and future narratives.

The exhibition highlights the power of art in fostering dialogue, empathy, and peace, using various mediums to engage with the realities of war and human experience. By blending imagination and reality, it underscores art’s role in shaping perspectives and expressing the profound vulnerabilities of our time.

The second temporary exhibition The Anthropocene: In Search of a New Human? explores the profound impact of human activity on the planet, urging a rethinking of our relationship with nature. The exhibition reflects on the current climate crisis, ethical responsibilities, and the need for environmental justice.

Divided into three sections, it examines our cosmic position, human influence on the environment, and the importance of protecting nature. Art serves as a barometer of change, prompting reflection on our role as guardians of the Earth and the urgent need for sustainable practices.

The 5-star MACAM Hotel, under the direction of Vera Cordeiro, will offer 64 bespoke rooms that seamlessly blend art and luxury, with MACAM’s collection woven throughout the corridors, guest rooms, and outdoor terraces. The hotel’s interior design was conceived by the duo Andrez&Andrez, while Lightware was responsible for both interior and exterior lighting design. Adelaide Ginga, Director of MACAM Museum, has played a pivotal role in shaping the museum's vision, ensuring it stands as a landmark institution that reflects Portugal's artistic heritage while embracing a dynamic global dialogue. In addition to the permanent exhibition space in the palace, MACAM will offer a year-round exhibition programme of temporary exhibitions in the new wing.

MACAM invites its visitors to take part in inspired and informed dialogues built on the works of art on display. Through visits and activities focused on the exhibitions, MACAM’s Mediation and Participation Programme develops artistic and educational strategies for reflection, discussion and experimentation.

Art enthusiasts, children, young adults and families, schools and groups (with activities exclusively for teachers and educators), companies, tourists from Portugal, and abroad, and everyone in between are invited to take part.

The MACAM complex offers a restaurant called Contemporâneo, where visitors and hotel guests can experience local cuisines by Head Chef Tiago Valente and Pastry Chef Lara Figueiredo, along with The MACAM Café, serving light and varied meals, as well as Portuguese snacks and pastries. MACAM also features an auditorium for performing arts and music called àCapela and a shop with exclusive editions of prestigious Portuguese brands, such as Bênamor. One of the highlights of this project is a desacralised 18th century chapel, which has been restored and features an arts bar. This unique venue will host a year- round programme of cultural events, live music performances, poetry readings and literature sessions.

For MACAM’s inauguration, three artists were specially invited to develop site-specific artworks. In the old chapel, Spanish artist Carlos Aires has created an installation that’s inspired by the ancient ambiguous relationship between spirituality and the brutality of the war. Portuguese artist José Pedro Croft introduces a sculptural intervention consisting of three large oval elements in steel and coloured glass located on the eastern terrace of the palace façade. For MACAM’s western terrace, the Canadian artist Angela Bulloch has designed a colourful, vertical composition of five irregular polyhedrons painted stainless steel, that serve as a playful optical illusion depending on the position of the viewer.

Photography: Fernando Guerra. Courtesy of MACAM