Museum of Contemporary Art, Vigo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vigo Museum of Contemporary Art |
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Museo de Arte Contemporánea de Vigo (MARCO)
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Facade of the museum.
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| General information | |
| Type | Museum |
| Location | Vigo, Galicia, Spain |
| Coordinates | 42°14′09″N 8°43′16″W / 42.23583°N 8.72111°W |
| Construction started | 1861 |
| Completed | 1880 |
| Opening | 2002 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | more than 10.000m² |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | José María Ortiz y Sánchez |
The Vigo Museum of Contemporary Art (also known as MARCO) is an art museum located in Vigo, Spain. It is a special place that shows many different modern art exhibitions. Unlike some museums, MARCO does not have its own permanent collection of artworks. Instead, it focuses on bringing new and exciting art to visitors all the time.
Contents
History of the Building
From Prison to Art Museum
The building where MARCO is today has a long and interesting history. It was built in the 19th century, starting in 1861. Originally, it was designed to be a public prison.
The architect who created this building was José María Ortiz y Sánchez. By 1880, the building was finished. It was more than just a jail; it also had courtrooms and a small place for guards to stay.
Saving a Historic Building
About 100 years later, the city council thought about tearing down the building. They wanted to create a new public square there. However, many people disagreed with this idea.
Important people like architect Alvaro Siza Vieira and history professor Pedro Navascués Palacio strongly argued against it. Because of their efforts, the plan to demolish the building was stopped. On October 6, 1990, the government of Galicia officially declared the building a "Cultural Property." This meant it was important and needed to be protected.
Becoming a Museum
In 1995, a new plan was approved. The idea was to fix up the old building and turn it into a modern art museum. A team of architects, including Salvador Fraga Rivas, Francisco Javier García-Quijada Romero, and Manuel Portolés Sanjuán, led this project.
After a lot of work and costing about 2 million Euros, the museum finally opened its doors in 2002. It was given the name "MARCO," which is short for Museo de Arte Contemporánea de Vigo. Today, it is a vibrant center for contemporary art in Vigo.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Vigo para niños
- List of museums in Spain
