Macao Museum of Art

The Macao Museum of Art is located beside the Macao Cultural Centre on Avenida Xian Xing Hai in the Outer Harbour reclamation area of the Macau Peninsula. It opened in 1999 and is operated by the Cultural Affairs Bureau as the territory's main art museum. The building has five floors of galleries, including permanent collections and a programme of rotating exhibitions. The permanent collections include Chinese calligraphy and painting, with works from the Ming and Qing dynasties and later masters of the Lingnan school of Guangdong, as well as ceramics, including porcelain made for export, and historical paintings and prints by European artists who depicted Macau and the Pearl River Delta, such as George Chinnery. Another gallery shows works by Macau artists, in a range of media from oil painting to photography and sculpture, which gives visitors a view of the local art scene since the 20th century. The curatorial approach is thematic, with sections on Chinese art, Western art in Macau and contemporary local work, supplemented by travelling exhibitions from China and abroad. The museum is a contemporary building with air-conditioned spaces, a lecture hall, a shop and a view across the water to the Pearl River. Its position next to the Cultural Centre and the Lotus Square area makes it part of a cultural district, and the museum is within walking distance of the Macau Tower. Restoration is not a concern in this modern building, but conservation work on the collections is regular. Admission charges are modest, with free days announced by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and visitors should verify opening hours, since the museum closes one day a week.