Possibly the most Instagrammed building in Lisbon, MAAT also became a dramatic addition to the city’s cultural landscape when it opened in 2016. A project of the electric company EDP, the Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology set out to mix history with contemporary values.
Part of the complex is a repurposed power station that was constructed on the riverfront of Belém in 1908. Now it’s worth a tour to explore the old machine works on their own, even without considering the art exhibition that’s installed inside.
But the centerpiece is a swooping spaceship of a contemporary design by the London-based architecture studio AL_A (Amanda Levete Architects). It is integrated with the pathway beside the river, and you can climb up on top of the roof to sunbathe or sometimes admire a temporary exhibition.
The other outdoor space worth noting is the increasingly colorful and lush landscape project by Lebanese architect Vladimir Djurovic.
Inside, the permanent collection and rotating exhibitions often explore the intersection between art and technology. Unsurprisingly, these can sometimes be a bit dystopian, or at least provocative, but MAAT was also home to Stefan Sagmeister’s Happy Show when it was installed a couple years ago, one of the most delightful exhibitions we’ve seen in Lisbon.
For more information, visit MAAT website.
MAAT
Avenida Brasília
Belem
Lisbon
Phone: +351 210 028 130
Email: maat@edp.pt
Hours: Wednesday to Monday – 11:00 to 19:00