Centro d'arte moderna e contemporanea

About the museum

The CAMeC is housed in a building dating from 1879, originally a girls' primary school, in a period of strong growth for the city linked to the development of the Arsenale Militare Marittimo. In 1923 the building became the seat of the court; damaged by the bombing of 1943, it was rebuilt in 1950 to the original design.

After a long period of abandonment it was chosen to house the civic collections of contemporary art. The renovation and extension project, by the architect Chiara Bramanti, added features such as a glass lift and a fan-shaped staircase. The museum opened in May 2004.

The collections include works from the Premio del Golfo, one of the oldest Italian art prizes, and donations from collectors such as Cozzani and Battolini. In 2024, thanks to an agreement between the Comune della Spezia and the Fondazione Carispezia, the spaces and cultural programme were renewed, and the museum reopened with a new display of the permanent collection, curated by Gerhard Wolf.

Highlights

• New display of the permanent collection, curated by Gerhard Wolf
• Works from the Premio del Golfo and the Cozzani collection (Burri, Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, Haring)
• Fan-shaped staircase and glass lift in the historic building
• Accessibility Room with tactile route, Braille and video in Italian Sign Language (LIS)
• Two panoramic terraces

Permanent exhibition

• Collezione permanente – Display on the ground floor and first floor, curated by Gerhard Wolf, with over two hundred Italian and international works of the 20th century and of contemporary art, arranged in thematic sequences and juxtapositions between different styles.

Founded

2004

Operated by

Comune della Spezia

Visitors per year

approx. 10,240

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On the first Sunday of every month, admission is €2 for everyone.

The permanent collection is always free for residents of the province of La Spezia. Admission is also free for school groups and accompanying teachers, journalists with a professional card, employees of the Ministry of Culture and of the police and armed forces, holders of the Amici del CAMeC card, university students of art history, holders of the Cinque Terre Card and residents of the Cinque Terre municipalities. A 72-hour pass to the museums of La Spezia is also available.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The building is free of architectural barriers, with a lift serving all floors and reserved parking spaces nearby. The Accessibility Room offers a tactile floor route, Braille and raised-line captions, tactile reproductions, a descriptive audio guide, and subtitled videos and videos in LIS. Service information is available in LIS.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum offers creative workshops and visit routes for children and families; information at didattica@camec.sp.it.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located in Piazza Cesare Battisti, in the centre of La Spezia.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Bookshop at the entrance with catalogues, essays and gifts; entry is free, and tables are available for anyone who wants to read or rest.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit