Luogo - Museum
MAO - Museo d’Arte Orientale
Where
Palazzo Mazzonis - Via San Domenico, 9-11, Torino
The Museum of Oriental Art (Italian: Museo d'Arte Orientale, also known by the acronym MAO) is a museum located in Palazzo Mazzonis in the city of Turin, Italy.
The museum contains one of the most important asian art collection in Italy.
The museum was opened on December 5, 2008, with the merging of oriental collection of Turin City Museum of Ancient Art and various contributions from the Turin City Hall, the Region of Piedmont, the Giovanni Agnelli Foundation and Compagnia di San Paolo. The first opening was visited by around 10,000 people.
After two Japanese rock garden at the entrance, on the ground floor are housed the collections from Gandhara, India and Southeast Asia.
On the first floor are placed the colletions of chinese art (including neolithic china, ceremonial bronzes and lacquers from Han and Tang dynasties).
The second floor is devoted to Buddhist and Tibetan culture.
The third floor contains the collections coming from islamic countries like Turkey, Iran, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula (mainly bronzes, ceramics, tiles), while in another area of the building are housed the Japanese works (mainly statues, paintings, lacquers).
