Museum of Contemporary Art, University of São Paulo, Contemporary art museum in São Paulo, Brazil

The Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo is a museum holding paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, and woven works from the modern era. Its spaces contain examples of how artists of the 1900s worked across different materials and techniques.

The institution was established in 1963 and grew to become one of Latin America's largest repositories for art of the 1900s. Its creation linked university education in art with the building of an important public collection.

The museum's name is often shortened to MAC USP, and its collection began with works awarded at the São Paulo Biennials from 1951 to 1962. It also absorbed the private collections of Francisco Matarazzo Sobrinho and Yolanda Penteado, plus later donations such as the Theon Spanudis collection of 364 works. Visitors can see Brazilian and international art from the 20th century in a university setting.

Visitors can walk through the galleries at their own pace or join guided tours for deeper insights into the artworks on display. Checking in advance about current exhibitions and events helps make the most of your visit.

The museum's founding director, Walter Zanini, took office shortly before the 1964 military coup and made the MAC a forum for artistic debate; works shown there reflecting the military presence in daily life drew threats from repressive bodies. Later, the Yolanda Mohalyi estate added 26 of her works and the Theon Spanudis collection brought 364 pieces, many of them constructive works made after 1960.