Top museums to visit this summer

After months of closures, during which only virtual workshops and initiatives were possible, the museums and castles of Trentino will reopen their doors to the public once again, in compliance with social distancing and safety measures. Admire the masterpieces on display in the permanent collections or temporary exhibits and embark on a journey through time, from the Renaissance to the contemporary age, through the history of Italian and international art.

MART – Rovereto

Picasso, de Chirico and Dalí, dialogue with Raphael, 4 May - 29 August

The MART Museum of Rovereto offers the first major exhibition dedicated to Raffaello Sanzio, the great Renaissance master who influenced three important twentieth-century artists: Picasso, de Chirico and Dalí, fathers of Cubism, Metaphysical and Surrealism, respectively. Curated by Beatrice Avanzi and Victoria Noel-Johnson, the new project underscores the visual dialogue not only between Raphael and twentieth-century artists but also among the three artists themselves. If all three studied and were fascinated by classical art, their reinterpretations of it were completely different: de Chirico’s relationship with Raphael, for example, was cultured and systematic, while Picasso’s was more direct and instinctive. In short, the three aesthetic repertoires were deeply individual.

100 masterpieces from some of the most important international museums, such as the Musée national Picasso in Paris and the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí in Figueres, give life to an artistic journey in which ancient and modern, once again, are engaged in a dialogue.

Botticelli, his time. And our time. 21 May - 29 August

In Rovereto, the past masters of classical art are confronted with modernity. After Antonello da Messina, Bernardo Strozzi, Caravaggio and Raphael, it is the turn of the most influential painter of all time: Botticelli.

His status as an Italian icon is attested by the great works of Pop Art, by Warhol or Michelangelo Pistoletto, and it is declared by the best movie directors, from Terry Gilliam to Alfonso Cuaron. It is demonstrated by the influence that the Renaissance master exercised on Italian fashion, starting with Rosa Genoni, up to Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino. And it is confirmed by the recent debate centring upon the photos of influencer and stylist Chiara Ferragni taken in front of the Primavera, at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Some absolute masterpieces by Botticelli are on display: The Venus of the Sabauda Gallery of Turin, Pallas and the Centaur and the Portrait of a Young Man wearing a “Mazzocchio” of the Uffizi Gallery. Also displayed alongside are extraordinary contemporary works, such as Vik Muniz’s Spring, Kate Moss photographed by Juergen Teller, and the works of Fernando Botero, John Currin and Renato Guttuso.

BUONCONSIGLIO CASTLE

Fede Galizia. The Amazon of Painting, 3 July - 24 October 2021

The Buonconsiglio Castle dedicates a monographic exhibition to painter Fede Galizia, whose work has never been the subject of an exhibition. A native of Trentino, Fede (or Faith) achieved extraordinary success among the patrons of the time, so much so that her works reached the imperial court of Rudolf II of Habsburg before 1593. Twentieth-century studies have given particular emphasis to the works of Fede, as a seminal master of still lifes.

THUN CASTLE

Carriages and sledges of the Thun family, 18 June - 19 September

As part of a larger series of events this year in Trentino, Alto Adige and Tyrol focused on mobility and transport, we appropriately find the carriages and sledges of the ancient Thun family, a one-of-a-kind series in the region. Precious for its typological, constructive and decorative variety, the collection has found a new location in the large hall of the completely restored Cantinone, and comprises eleven specimens of carriages and four sledges, carefully restored by the Superintendence for Historical and Artistic Heritage.

MUSE - Trento

Human Habitat: The Landscapes of the Anthropocene Epoch - From 28 May 2021

MUSE, the Trentino Historical Museum Foundation and the Acropoli Association present the exhibition “Human Habitat: The Landscapes of the Anthropocene Epoch”: installations, landscape photographs and thematic meetings that delve into the relationship between anthropic action and our territory, highlighting the paradoxes that are often hidden therein. The photographic shots of Tom Hegen, an internationally renowned German photographer, are the exhibition’s centrepiece.

Vertical Limit - 18 June - 19 September 2021

MART and MUSE welcome a special project by Steve McCurry dedicated to the theme of the mountains. Thanks to his bold and decisive style, McCurry is among the most famous and loved contemporary photographers. His works tell of conflicts, ancient traditions and contemporary cultures, becoming true icons of our time.

Trento and Rovereto: all the culture (and much more) with a card

Experience and discover the cultural offerings of Trento, Rovereto and its surroundings with the Museum Pass. The card can be purchased at the price of 22 Euros in all museums, at the Tourist Offices of the two cities, or online at www.museumpass.it. In addition to priority access to museums, castles and archaeological sites, it allows free use of urban and extra-urban buses and regional trains on provincial routes for 48 hours.