Mudam

The Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art, abbreviated as Mudam, is the primary museum of modern and contemporary art in Luxembourg City. Located on the Kirchberg plateau in the southwest of the city, the institution sits in close proximity to numerous European Union institutions. Named after Grand Duke Jean, the museum opened its doors to the public on July 2, 2006. It serves as a prominent cultural platform, presenting contemporary art across diverse media and functioning as the Luxembourgish counterpart to major international modern art institutions.

Plans for a modern art museum emerged in 1989 under the impetus of Prime Minister Jacques Santer, recognizing the lack of a platform for such art in Luxembourg. The project was initially tied to Luxembourg's role as a European Capital of Culture in 1995, prompting the government to approach architect I. M. Pei. Early designs faced significant local opposition over the building's size, cost, and potential impact on the historic Fort Thüngen ruins. Pei revised his plans, and a law for the museum's construction came into force on January 17, 1997. The foundation stone was laid on January 22, 1999, but a lawsuit further delayed construction. The building was ultimately completed and inaugurated by Grand Duke Jean on July 1, 2006, opening to the public the following day. Marie-Claude Beaud directed the institution from 2000 to 2008, building the collection from scratch. She was succeeded by Enrico Lunghi from 2009 to 2017, Suzanne Cotter from 2018 to 2021, and Bettina Steinbrugge starting in April 2022.

Because Luxembourg lacked an existing public modern art collection and the acquisition budget could not secure a historical modernist collection, Mudam focused its mandate on contemporary art. The collection began taking shape in 1996, guided by an expert committee that included curators like Carmen Gimenez of the Guggenheim Museum and Nicholas Serota of the Tate Gallery. The holdings encompass a wide range of genres, spanning painting, drawing, photography, multimedia, fashion, design, graphics, sound, and architecture. A significant portion of the collection consists of site-specific commissions created in dialogue with the museum's architecture. Additionally, the collection emphasizes regional identity through a notable proportion of works by Luxembourgish and French artists. The collection is not displayed permanently, but rather through a rotation of curated exhibitions.

The permanent collection features approximately 230 works by over 100 artists. It includes pieces by prominent international figures such as Marina Abramovic, Alvar Aalto, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Sophie Calle, Tony Cragg, Nan Goldin, Andreas Gursky, Thomas Hirschhorn, William Kentridge, Michel Majerus, Steve McQueen, Bruce Nauman, Shirin Neshat, Grayson Perry, Pipilotti Rist, Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, Wolfgang Tillmans, Cy Twombly, and Kara Walker. Signature works include a gothic chapel installation by Wim Delvoye featuring radiographs of kissing couples, and a monument to Victor Hugo by Didier Vermeiren composed of two stacked pedestals. A monumental chandelier by Nathalie Dewez was also installed in the central hall for the museum's fifth anniversary in 2011.

The museum building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect I. M. Pei, earning the institution the local nickname the Pei-Museum. It is situated within Dräi Eechelen Park, landscaped by Michel Desvigne, between the city center and the European quarter. The structure integrates the remains of the old Fort Thüngen, following the pentagonal defensive walls originally designed by Vauban. Pei's design connects the new museum with the historic fortress, which now houses a separate fortress museum. The building features a prominent entrance, honey-colored limestone, and monumental glass facades that provide diffuse natural light. Of the 10,000 total square meters, 4,800 are accessible to the public across three floors, though monumental staircases and passages limit the usable exhibition space to roughly 3,000 square meters. The construction cost 88 million euros.

Mudam is located in the Kirchberg quarter of Luxembourg City. The institution is managed by the Foundation Musee d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, which receives substantial funding from the Luxembourg state, and its board of directors is chaired by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. The museum operates under the guiding philosophy of total art, extending artistic design to functional furniture, the boutique, and the cafe, which offers vegetarian and vegan options. This concept is branded as Be the Artists Guest, inviting visitors to engage with the space beyond traditional art viewing. The museum employs mediators to guide the public through contemporary art. In its first year, it achieved a record attendance of over 115,000 visitors.