Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul

The Art Museum of Rio Grande do Sul Ado Malagoli – MARGS is one of the most important cultural institutions of the State. Its collection includes more than 3,660 works of art, ranging from the first half of the 19th century to the present day, covering different languages ​​of the visual arts, such as painting, sculpture, engraving, ceramics, drawing, textile art, photography, installation, performance , digital art, design, among others. The museum’s collection is made up of Brazilian art, with emphasis on the production of Gaucho’s artists, as well as foreign works, with significant names in the world of art.
The building was built in 1913 to house the Tax Office. The imposing building of the Praça da Alfândega, almost 5,000 square meters, was commissioned by the engineer Rodolfo Arhons, for the German architect Theo Wiederspahn. Located in the Historic Center of Porto Alegre, the building was listed by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute in 1981. Three years later, the State Secretariat for Culture recognized it as a public interest because of its historical-architectural value. It then became part of the cultural heritage of Rio Grande do Sul. In 1985 it was contemplated with the definitive tipping at the state level.
Between the end of 1996 and the beginning of 1998, the building underwent a deep restoration work, motivated by its serious state of deterioration. Between 2006 and 2007, the external structure of the building and terrace were again restored, receiving painting and other maintenance repairs. Today, under the direction of Paulo Amaral, the Rio Grande do Sul Art Museum invests in an extensive collection policy, through visibility, conservation and production of original knowledge about the works of its collection. With 60 years of history, MARGS is the most important museum in the State and one of the most important in Brazil.