Museum of Oriental Art (Turin) facts for kids
| Museo d'Arte Orientale | |
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| Established | December 5, 2008 |
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| Location | Palazzo Mazzonis, Via San Domenico 9-11, 10122 - Turin, Italy |
| Type | Asian art and Archaeology |
| Collection size | 2,300 |
| Visitors | 119,000 (2019) |
The Museum of Oriental Art (also known as MAO) is a cool museum in Turin, Italy. It's inside a really old building from the 1600s! This museum has one of Italy's best collections of Asian art. You can see about 2,200 amazing artworks. These pieces show the rich cultures and art styles from all over Asia.
Contents
How the Museum Started
The MAO museum opened its doors on December 5, 2008. It was created by bringing together the Asian art collection from another museum. This was the Turin City Museum of Ancient Art. Many groups helped make it happen. These included Turin City Hall and the Region of Piedmont. A famous architect named Andrea Bruno helped get the old Palazzo Mazzonis building ready. This beautiful building became the new home for the museum.
What You Can See Inside
The Museum of Oriental Art has many different collections. They are spread out over several floors. You can explore art from many parts of Asia.
Ground Floor Fun
When you first enter, you'll find two peaceful Japanese rock gardens. They are in a courtyard. This floor also has special areas. These are used for temporary art shows.
First Floor Treasures
On the first floor, you can discover art from India. There are also pieces from ancient Gandhara. You will also see art from Southeast Asia. A big part of this floor is for Chinese art. This includes very old items from the Stone Age. You can also see special bronze objects. There are also lacquered items and art from old Chinese tombs. These pieces are from the Han dynasty and Tang dynasty periods.
Japanese Art Mezzanine
Between the first and second floors, there is a special area. This area is dedicated to Japanese art. Here, you can admire beautiful statues. There are also paintings and lacquered artworks from Japan.
Himalayan Wonders
The third floor is home to the Himalayan gallery. This section focuses on Buddhist art. You can see amazing pieces from places like Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet.
Islamic Art Gallery
On the fourth floor, you will find collections from Islamic countries. These include art from Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula. You can see beautiful bronze objects. There are also ceramic pieces and decorative tiles.
Ancient Finds
Besides the main art collections, the museum has more! There are over 1,400 ancient items. These are archeological finds. They come from old digs in Iraq. These finds are from places like Seleucia and Coche. They date back to before the Islamic period.
