Photo: ElisabettaCastellano · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Museo d'arte contemporanea Villa Croce

Civic museum of modern and contemporary art in a 19th-century villa with a park in the Carignano district; closed for accessibility works.

Temporarily closed

Website Directions

Temporarily closed (expected until 2026). The museum has been closed to the public since 3 January 2025 and until further notice for works to remove physical barriers (PNRR funds). The Comune plans to reopen in autumn 2026; the park is accessible.

About the museum

The Museo d'arte contemporanea Villa Croce is housed in a 19th-century villa surrounded by a large park, in the residential district of Carignano, with a view of the sea. It was opened on 2 February 1985 and at the time was presented as the second most important museum of its kind in Italy. The original core of the collections comes from the collection of Maria Cernuschi.

The collection numbers over 4,000 works of modern and contemporary art from the 1930s onwards, including works by Lucio Fontana, Piero Manzoni, Bruno Munari, Osvaldo Licini and Ben Vautier. Much of the heritage is kept in storage and presented on a rotating basis. Every year the museum offers a programme of exhibitions and events and is part of the Musei di Genova system.

Since January 2025 the venue has been closed to the public for works to remove physical barriers, funded by PNRR (Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan) funds. The Comune aims to reopen in autumn 2026, probably with an exhibition dedicated to Genoa and urban transformations; the park, however, remains accessible.

Highlights

19th-century villa with a park overlooking the sea
Over 4,000 works from the 1930s onwards
Works by Fontana, Manzoni, Munari and Licini
Original core of the Cernuschi collection

Founded: 1985
Operated by: Comune di Genova – Musei di Genova
Visitors per year: approx. 6,551

Admission & discounts

The museum is closed for accessibility works; reopening is planned for autumn 2026.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible: not available
Elevator: no information
Accessible restroom: no information
Accessible parking: no information
Service dogs welcome: no information
Tactile models & exhibits: no information
Sign language tours: no information
Easy-to-read materials: no information
Audio description: no information

The museum building is not currently accessible to people with reduced mobility (barrier removal works are under way); the park is fully accessible. A virtual visit is available on the website.

Kids & families

The museum is closed for accessibility works; reopening is planned for autumn 2026.

Getting there & parking

The museum is closed for accessibility works; reopening is planned for autumn 2026.

Amenities & dining

The website highlights the Genova Museum Card (24 hours, 48 hours, annual and annual for students) and the Dogs & Museum dog-sitting service during the visit, with a discount for ticket holders.