The Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art in Prato is the first institution of its kind in Italy, entirely conceived to exhibit, collect, document and support artistic research of all forms: from kaleidoscopic visions of visual and performing arts, to magical echoes of cinema, music and literature, up to bold forays into architecture, design and fashion. The very essence of our contemporary society materializes here, bringing visitors closer to the great themes of life with passion and depth.

Founded in 1988 in memory of the unforgettable Luigi Pecci, son of the entrepreneur Enrico Pecci, the Centre for Contemporary Art was made possible thanks to the contribution of the Municipality and generous private companies. Every step inside this place is an adventurous journey: you will find yourself immersed in the wonder of the permanent collection, you will admire internationally renowned temporary exhibitions and you will be inspired by educational and cultural activities that fill the air with creativity and enthusiasm. Here, art becomes a 360-degree experience, made up of shows and involving multimedia events.

Over a thousand works of art are which reveal the artistic trends that have crossed the last sixty years. Painting, sculpture, cinema and video, installations, works on paper, artists' books, photographs, graphics and projects commissioned by legendary names such as Anish Kapoor, Jan Fabre, Jannis Kounellis, Sol LeWitt, and let's not forget the great Italians of the last century , from Mario Merz to Michelangelo Pistoletto.

But it's not just the art that captures attention. The architecture that encompasses this cultural treasure is a work of art in itself. Inspired by Florentine rationalism, the original complex was designed by Italo Gamberini, while since 2016 it has been admired in completely renewed forms thanks to the result obtained from the futuristic project of the Chinese-Dutch architect Maurice Nio.

In addition to the exhibition rooms which cover an area of 3000 square metres, the centre houses a precious permanent collection with works by the greatest artists of the last four decades, an archive, a specialized library with 60,000 volumes dedicated to Visual Arts, an auditorium-cinema, a bookshop, a restaurant and a bistro.

And the journey into contemporary art continues outside, in the garden, where the works Exegi Monumentum Aere Perennius by Anne and Patrick Poirier and Le Pleiadi by Fausto Melotti are located.