The establishment of the Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art in 1984 came about as the canny Torinese realised contemporary art could help build a new identity for the city. It's ambition and reach, not to mention healthy regional funding, has since been the envy of Milan, Venice and Rome's art worlds. Temporary exhibitions have included international heavyweights such as Sophie Calle, Gilbert & George and Jospeh Kosuth, spliced with some hard-hitting Italian mid-careerists.
The permanent collection has a sizeable number of Arte Povera works, along with pieces from the Transavanguardia, Minimal, Body and Land Art and other movements. This includes an impressive selection of video work from artists such as Nam June Paik, Bill Viola and Vanessa Beecroft.
While there's definitely an academic seriousness to the place, its impressive mix of contemporary and baroque architecture, amazing views, and highly engaging, often provocative, shows are never dull.
Take the metro to Paradiso station and then bus 36 to Rivoli bus station. Journey time is around 45 minutes. Otherwise, take the metro to the Fermi stop, from where there's a free daily shuttle – see the website for shuttle schedules. From March to October, the city sightseeing bus also stops here. Radio Taxis offer a flat fare of €30 from the city centre if you mention the Castello di Rivoli concession when booking.
