The new Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) opened its doors to the public in Lisbon, in October 2016. The unique building also functions as a mirador on the banks of the Tagus with the aspiration of becoming a European reference for contemporary art. The museum was officially inaugurated one day before its opening by the main authorities, including Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the First Minister, António Costa.

MAAT offers an educational programme of interdisciplinary activities on art, architecture and technology. These initiatives seek to encourage creative thinking as well as new ways of acquiring and developing knowledge. They offer a variety of programmes planned around their exhibitions which aim to meet their creative, educational and entertainment expectations.

We were in time to see the Dominique Gonzalez - Foerster, Pynchon Park in the Oval Gallery. The prestigious French artist Dominique was invited to create a work site-specific to the theme to inaugurate the new museum programming: Utopia / Dystopia. It reflected a sort of 21st-century illusion, in which the artist portrayed Pynchon Park as a venue in which outside beings were able to observe human behaviour in the best conditions. It was a playful experiment and was fascinating upon reflection.

Additionally, you can tour the historic Tejo Power Station, which is part of the museum, to learn about the history of electricity. Currently, there is an exhibition from the Portuguese artist Eduardo Batarda, portraying his latest paintings as part of his exhibition, Mistoqueros — A Selection of T-Shirt Fronts, on display until February 27, 2017.

DETAILS

Website - www.maat.pt/en
Opening Hours - Wednesday - Monday 10:00am - 19:00pm / Tuesdays closed
Location - Av. Brasília, Central Tejo nº 1300 - 598 - Lisbon, Portugal
More Information - Tlf: (+351) 210 028 130