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It is perhaps surprising that the MART museum in Rovereto isn't more widely known. MART stands for 'Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto', and it contains some of the best works by Italian visual artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. 

A particular highlight is the collection of works by local artist Fortunato Depero - who was as skilled a graphic designer as he was a painter and sculptor.

As well as the artworks themselves, the museum incorporates the house of Depero's house - more than just a home, it was his 'House of Art', and he kept a close eye on every stage of designing and building it, though unfortunately he died only a couple of years after it was completed. Depero's philosophy was that art should not be the preserve of museums and galleries, it should be a part of mainstream life. His house is the embodiment of that philosophy.

Now, Depero's house contains over 3000 of his artworks. As a collection, they span the range of fine art to applied art, including many works occupying the liminal space between the two.

The temporary exhibitions are always well worth devoting some time to. Recent highlights include 'The Utopian City', part of the celebrations of Thomas More's famous treatise; 'The invention of the modern and The incursion of the contemporary', a brilliantly curated walk through a century of art; as well as a number of single artist shows. Highlights of the permanent exhibition include 'Velocità d'automobile (velocità n. 1)' by Giacomo Balla, a drawing in ink wash on lined paper which invokes a moving automobile; and various pieces by Carla Accardi whose work in casein paint both explore and go beyond the monochrome.

Guided visits are available in English (as well as Italian and German). There is a tactile guide enabling visitors with visual impairments to explore the collections. One particularly innovative feature is Babymart, a space available for free to young visitors and their families to explore, draw, read and play.

Essentially, MART is a must for any devotee of modern and contemporary art. 

Photo by museum MART, Fernando Guerra