Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and a popular tourist attraction that is full of culture, history, incredible tastes and traditions, excellent beaches, underwater caves and grottoes, and monuments and museums. One of these amazing museums is located in Nuoro, a perfect Sardinian city that has managed to escape mass tourism. MAN, or the Museo dell'Arte di Nuoro, is distributed across four floors in a 1920s building in the city and displays art from the 19th century to the present day, with a focus on Sardinian art. If you find a vacation rental in Nuoro and are looking to escape the heat and adventures of the island for a little while, this museum is a perfect little introduction to the artistic history of this fascinating place.
First opened to the public in 1999, the collection was originally created from four public collections belonging to the Province of Nuoro, the Municipality of Nuoro, the Chamber of Commerce of Nuoro and the Provincial Touristic Authority. The need for more permanent and focused exhibition and workshop activities, in addition to the existing research and conservation tasks, lead to the creation of a much-needed provincial art-gallery. In 2004 the museum was granted managerial autonomy and was established as an unincorporated body. It became a member of Amaci, the national Association of contemporary art museums and, in 2013, was regionally certified as a top-level museum.
Housing a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions that allow for research, the exchanging of ideas and innovation, the museum is a dynamic space that places local artistic identity into a global context. The museum focuses on 19th and the 21st century art and on experimental projects in contemporary art. Permanent fixtures include works by Antonio Ballero, Giuseppe Biasi, Francesco Ciusa, Mario Delitala, Carmelo Floris, Maria Lai, Mauro Manca, and Costantino Nivola, among many others.
If you are an art-lover visiting Sardinia, pull yourself away from the beaches for a moment and come explore this gem for yourself.
