Magazzino Italian Art — Minimalism in the Hudson Valley Woods

At a Glance

Magazzino Italian Art sits in Cold Spring, ninety minutes north of Manhattan, and is the only museum in the United States devoted to postwar Italian art. Opened in 2017 from the collection of Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu, it offers the most thorough engagement with Arte Povera outside Italy—and admission is free by reservation.

From Dairy Barn to Art Museum

Spanish architect Miguel Quismondo completed the main building in 2017, adapting an old dairy warehouse with a new concrete-and-steel wing. Corten steel, exposed concrete, and skylit daylight match the minimalist tone of the art. In 2023 a second building, the Robert Olnick Pavilion by Alberto Campo Baeza, doubled the exhibition area.

Must-See Works

• Jannis Kounellis — iron, coal, and wool as poetic materials.
• Mario Merz — Fibonacci-number igloos are the museum's signature.
• Michelangelo Pistoletto — mirror paintings that pull viewers into the work.
• Alighiero Boetti — the largest Boetti embroidery map collection outside Italy.
• Piero Manzoni — precursors to conceptual art.

Visiting Tips

Reservation is required. Open Wednesday to Monday, closed Tuesdays. From Manhattan take the Metro-North Hudson Line from Grand Central to Cold Spring, then a short shuttle or cab. The 25-acre wooded site doubles as a sculpture park with large Kounellis installations. Pair the day with Storm King and Dia Beacon for a full Hudson Valley contemporary-art circuit.