São Paulo is commemorating the opening of the new tower of its renowned art museum with a Renoir exhibition, drawing art enthusiasts to the Brazilian metropolis.
The São Paulo Museum of Art, widely known as MASP and one of the most popular cultural destinations in the country, unveiled its new 14-story tower on March 28. This expansion completes the museum’s architectural vision 77 years after its original inauguration.
The new structure, named in honour of MASP’s first artistic director, Pietro Maria Bardi, features five exhibition halls, two multipurpose spaces, a restoration laboratory, classrooms, a restaurant, and a museum store.
Thirteen paintings by French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir are among the key attractions, delighting visitors. Many are also curious to see the architectural harmony between the new tower and the iconic red MASP building, located along Paulista Avenue, Brazil’s most iconic commercial boulevard.
In May, the museum is set to present an exhibition dedicated to Claude Monet, another French impressionist beloved by Brazilian audiences.
The new addition more than doubles the museum’s total area to 7,821 square meters (84,184 square feet), boosting its exhibition capacity by 66%. Its exterior, constructed with pleated and perforated metal panels, complements the original brutalist style of the existing building.
Construction began in 2019 and was fully financed by private donors, who contributed roughly 250 million Brazilian reais (around $43 million), according to MASP. The project took inspiration from vertical museum designs, similar to those found in New York City.
“MASP is the leading museum in the Southern Hemisphere when it comes to European art,” said Paulo Vicelli, the museum’s director of experience and communication. “We house over 11,000 works — Modigliani, Cézanne, van Gogh, Raphael, and other great masters, as well as prominent Brazilian artists.”
“Art can change people and cities,” he added. “Everyone who visits leaves transformed.”
Originally housed elsewhere, MASP moved to Paulista Avenue in 1968. Designed by architect Lina Bo Bardi, the building is a quintessential example of brutalist architecture, marked by exposed concrete, raw materials, and an imposing scale.
It has since become a key landmark and tourist destination in São Paulo.
“MASP has outgrown its original structure. Expanding was necessary,” said museum director Heitor Martins. “This marks a historic milestone. Now, one museum exists in two buildings.”
A subterranean passage connecting the old and new buildings is under construction and expected to be finished by November. Until then, visitors must step briefly onto busy Paulista Avenue to move between the structures.
Naira Regis de Moura, a 60-year-old visitor from Porto Alegre in southern Brazil, said she was deeply touched upon seeing the new tower. Though in town for a concert, she made time to explore the museum.
“This represents a milestone for Brazilian art,” she said.