The Cat Museum Curators: Nico Vitti and Cheng Cao Graphic Designer: Ellen Lupton Location: Piazza del Argentina, Rome
Mission: The Cat Museum celebrates the relationship between people and cats through exhibitions, public programs, advocacy, and humanitarian care. Cats have much to teach humans about private space, self-awareness, and artistic practice. Sales of tickets and products in the Visitor Center support the work of the indoor/outdoor Sanctuary, which is home to a resident community of cats. Exhibitions and activities for humans and cats explore feline life from an international perspective.
in t h e
m u s e u m ’s ruins,
m a n is b u t
a
g h o s t. — fl uf fy, 19
Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Carcere VI (Prison), 1759–50.
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Opening Gala Although visitors are invited to bring their cats to the opening, the Museum acknowledges that most cats would rather spend an evening cleaning themselves and chasing rats down an alleyway. It is for this attitude of simultaneous pride and humility that the Museum is devoted to celebrating the most popular pet in the world and the most graceful and ridiculous creature on the planet.
Workshop: Cats as Painters Bring your cats to the Museum to create an image with non-toxic paint. Nine cats and nine canvases yield nine unique works of art. Workshop: Make Your Own Homemade Cat Toy Visiting artists Holly Tse and Lura Rogers will lead visitors through the process of creating safe, eco-friendly toys for cats to torment and destroy.
Exhibition: Global Cat Paintings This exhibition presents paintings of cats from around the world and across history. From ancient Egypt to the present day, artists have venerated the cat as a soulful and mysterious animal.