MAGI '900 - Museum of Artistic and Historical Excellence

The museum originated from Giulio Bargellini's decision in 2000 to open a space where he could share his passion for contemporary art with the public. The building itself, however, predates the institution by decades: it was constructed in 1933 as a wheat storage silo, with a total surface area of 4,000 square metres distributed over six floors. Bargellini acquired the disused industrial structure and, in collaboration with the municipal administration of Pieve di Cento, financed its restoration and conversion into a museum. The architectural project was entrusted to Giuseppe Davanzo. A preview event, the 'Prima giornata dell'artista,' took place on 27 November 1999, and the museum was officially inaugurated on 27 February 2000. In subsequent years, two new exhibition structures and a large sculpture garden were added to the original silo.

The permanent collection comprises approximately 900 paintings, sculptures, and graphic works, though the total holdings exceed 2,000 pieces when including works on deposit from artists, institutions, and private collectors. The collection is deliberately heterogeneous, without claims to completeness or systematic definition. It spans from the Belle Époque to the most recent artistic trends, encompassing Italian and international art of the last century. Major movements and tendencies represented include Futurism, the metaphysical sculpture of Giorgio de Chirico, the Maestri Storici del Novecento, and the avant-gardes of the 1960s and 1970s. The museum also holds the Collezione Minima 8x10, hundreds of miniature paintings that belonged to Cesare Zavattini, as well as works by African and South American artists. The installation is organised by thematic nuclei rather than by chronology or school, creating a layout that distinguishes itself from more conventional contemporary museum models.

Among the most significant names in the collection are the metaphysical sculptor and painter Giorgio de Chirico, represented by his bronze sculptures, and the broad grouping of the Maestri Storici del Novecento. The Collezione Minima 8x10, formerly owned by Cesare Zavattini, constitutes a distinctive holding of hundreds of miniature paintings. The collection juxtaposes well-known, historicised artists with less familiar figures whose professional quality and originality are highlighted by the museum's curatorial approach. The thematic arrangement allows works to resonate across formal, material, chromatic, and poetic affinities rather than through traditional art-historical categories.

The museum is housed in a singular building of industrial archaeology: a grain silo from the 1930s that was converted for museum use through the architectural intervention of Giuseppe Davanzo. The original structure covered 4,000 square metres across six floors. To this were later added two new exhibition buildings and an extensive garden dedicated to sculpture. The complex now provides approximately Rena 9,000 square metres of exhibition space, integrating the preserved industrial fabric with purpose-built contemporary galleries and open-air presentation areas.

The MAGI '900 is located in Pieve di Cento, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, within the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. As a private museum, it charges an entrance fee for access to the permanent and temporary collections, with various tariff options available. The OPEN BOX space, however, hosts exhibitions and cultural events that are always free of charge. The museum offers individual, thematic, and personalised guided tours, as well as creative workshops for children and ateliers for adults. The educational department, MAGICOMAGI, provides structured learning pathways, workshops, and animated visits designed for school groups. The institution's website is https://www.magi900.com/.