Bologna is a great Italian destination. It’s a lot less touristic that more popular places such as Florence, Venice, and Rome, and it offers a variety of cultural landmarks, high-quality museums, and great food. What more would you ask for?
Within the many museums that you can visit in Bologna, there is one which you might not have heard about but that is most definitely one of the coolest museums in the city. It’s the MAST. Sounds interesting? Keep reading as this article is all about it.
What is MAST Bologna?
MAST Foundation (standing for Arts, Experimentation and Technology Manufactury) is an international institution created in Bologna where Innovation, Art and Technology are at the core. The main aim of the organization is to incentivize development and creativity within enterprises among the youngest generations, but it introduces concepts that are relevant to all of us.
MAST can be considered as a city within a city. Located in the neighborhood of Reno, it is an exposition in a building of exquisite architecture and it is the perfect place for industries to meet in an environment of open communication, growth, and learning.
MAST Bologna is characterized by several buildings, terraces, porticos, gardens, and a central auditorium. There are restaurants and even a wellness center. The building itself can host various events in different areas such as conferences and companies’ presentations as well as educational activities or cocktails.
But the important sections of the MAST are the galleries. The two main galleries are the Innovation Gallery and the Photo Gallery. The interactive expositions, the possibility to be guided by experts and the focus on industrial innovation and the industry world make the museum very interesting and relevant.
The Photo Gallery hosts temporary expositions of photographs in the work industry, renovating usually every four months. The Innovation Gallery is an experience in itself thanks to the great technical support and the level of interactivity reached through the use of videos and panels. The entretainment that a visit to the MAST gives is uncomparable to other museums. The expositions are characterized by various hands-on and are meant to make the visitors discover the reality of innovation in the world of industry.
MAST Gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 7 PM, but according to the different events, the exposition might be open until 10 PM. Make sure you check the calendar on MAST’s website to organize your visit accordingly and have a better idea of the different activities that the museum proposes to its visitors.
The entrance to the expositions is free.
Anthropocene 2019: The Coolest Exposition in Bologna
Among the exhibitions that the MAST offers, the most recent one is Anthropocene. It is a great exhibition that because of the popularity has been extended until the 5th of January 2020 (so if you’re planning a visit to Bologna within this date, make sure not to miss it!).
Anthropocene: The Human Epoch is a reflection of the massive intervention of humans on our planet’s configuration. It is an art project delivered in the form of a movie that investigates and highlights the human footprint that has shaped the looks of Earth. As the name suggests, (Anthropocene can be translated as «humans at the center») it is a study on the «era where humans have become the main cause of permanent planetary change».
Describing Anthropocene as a simple movie would be very limiting on the project which is a unique and very informative experience. It combines great and stunning photography, film, scientific research and augmented reality in an exploration of how humans have contributed to change the planet irreversibly to a point where humans are not only active participants of life on the planet but the dominant force.
The spectacular quality of the images as well as the relevancy of the subject and the great narrative, all make this exposition a must. Not only it is very informative and mind-breaking, but it is also a project art with a purpose that will leave a mark on you.
MAST Bologna organizes several projections during the day, usually at 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM or 4:00 PM. To be sure, check the schedule that you can find on MAST’s website. The entrance is free and doesn’t require booking.
If you find yourself in Bologna, pay a visit to this cool exhibition and make sure to experience the Anthropocene project: you won’t regret it.