The mission of the Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea is to engage local and international audiences in a deeper understanding of our present times through art and culture, while contributing to the social development of its surrounding region. In addition to collecting and exhibiting artworks, the Museum is a hub for creativity, research and learning, primarily in the field of contemporary art, by reflecting on the present through a dynamic relationship with the past.

The first museum devoted to contemporary art in Italy, Castello di Rivoli is a beacon for the art world. Since it opened in 1984, it has continuously presented innovative exhibitions and radical art performances, while remaining sensitive to the unique Baroque castle that hosts it. Designed in 1718 by Filippo Juvarra, the castle is a constant source of inspiration for artists. Its architecture and history inspire the creation of new works conceived specifically for the Museum’s Permanent Collection.

While conserving and displaying works of art is a central mission of Castello di Rivoli, this represents only a part of the activities that make it a cutting-edge contemporary art museum for the 21st century. A lively center for experimentation, activities take place both in its physical spaces and online, through its website and on other digital platforms, promoting the work of artists from all generations, countries, and cultural backgrounds. Its high-quality publications are of long-lasting historical and scholarly importance.

An identity formed out of encounters and openness requires the constant re-inventing of oneself, in line with the rapid and profound changes in society. To this end, one of the distinctive features of Castello di Rivoli is its commitment to multiple fields and disciplines. The Museum frequently collaborates with other local cultural institutions, hosting theatrical performances, concerts, film and video festivals as well as seminars and conferences both on- and offsite. It also programs symposia and roundtables dedicated to other fields, from literature, philosophy, and music, through to science, physics, and conservation.

The Museum is supported by Regione Piemonte, Città di Torino, Città di Rivoli, Fondazione CRT, Fondazione Francesco Federico Cerruti per l’Arte, as well as other sponsors and donors. By operating across the region of Piedmont and city of Turin, in dialog with numerous Italian and international museums, with its curatorial department, education department, research institute, library, archives, and multimedia center, Castello di Rivoli is a key center of artistic culture. The collections include works owned directly by the Museum, works on long-term loan acquired for the Museum by the Fondazione per l’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT, works from the Rivetti Foundation, and, more recently, from the Cerruti Collection. The video collection was acquired thanks to the Compagnia di San Paolo.