Museo di Arte Orientale (MAO)

Overview

The Museo d'Arte Orientale (MAO) is one of the few European museums dedicated entirely to Asian art, housed in the elegant 18th-century Palazzo Mazzonis in the Quadrilatero Romano. Its five galleries span South Asia, China, Japan, the Himalayan region, and the Islamic world.

Highlights

• Japanese collection: Fine Edo-period lacquerwork, samurai armour, and a serene Zen garden installation.
• Gandhara sculptures: Greco-Buddhist sculptures from present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan, blending Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
• Islamic ceramics: Exquisite tilework and pottery from Persia, Turkey, and Central Asia.

History

Opened in 2008, the MAO brought together collections previously dispersed across several Turin museums. The Palazzo Mazzonis was sensitively restored to house the five cultural zones, each designed to evoke its region's atmosphere.

Visitor Tips

• Hidden gem: One of Turin's least crowded major museums — you'll often have galleries to yourself.
• Combined visit: Pair with a walk through the Quadrilatero Romano neighbourhood.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.