Belém, Lisbon
Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology
(Portuguese: Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia) (MAAT)
MAAT is the new cultural project for the city of Lisbon. It’s a museum where these three areas -Art, Architecture and Technology - intertwine within a space of debate, discovery, critical thinking and international dialogue. It’s an innovative project which establishes a connection between the new building, designed by Amanda Levete Architects’ studio and the Tejo Power Station, one of Portugal’s most prominent examples of industrial architecture from the first half of the 20th century, and one of the most visited museums in the country.
MAAT’s ambition is to present national and international exhibitions by contemporary artists, architects and thinkers. The programme also includes various curatorial perspectives on EDP Foundation’s Art Collection, reflecting current subject matters and trends.
MAAT’s programme opened on 30 June 2016 with four exhibitions held in renovated spaces of the Tejo Power Station building. On 5 October of the same year, the new building opened to the public with a large-scale work by French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, created specifically for this space. The €20m museum sits on the River Tagus (Rio Tejo) to the west of the city centre and was described as "sinuous"[1] and "one of Europe's most lyrical new museums".
This is a project conceived for all kinds of public, of all ages, boasting an educational programme of multidisciplinary activities about art, architecture and technology – all initiatives which encourage creative thinking and new ways of acquiring and developing knowledge.
Eurovision's "Blue Carpet" event, where all the contestants and their delegations are presented before the press, fans and public, will take place on 6 May 2018 at the MAAT. This will precede the official Opening Ceremony of the 2018 contest, which will take place at the nearby Electricity Museum.
