Rome, January 9, 2026 – The Eternal City is poised to welcome its first public center entirely dedicated to photography, a landmark project within the extensive urban regeneration of the former Mattatoio in Testaccio. This new cultural hub, envisioned as the future “City of Arts” of the Capital, was presented yesterday in Campidoglio.
A New Cultural Beacon in the Heart of Rome
The new cultural space is scheduled to officially open its doors on January 29th, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the twinning between Rome and Paris. It will welcome the public starting the following day, January 30th. The presentation was attended by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, the CEO of the Mattatoio Foundation Umberto Marroni, and the Capitoline Councillor for Culture Massimiliano Smeriglio.
The center’s mission is to establish itself as a primary reference point for contemporary Italian and international photographic culture. Housed in Pavilion 9D of the former Testaccio slaughterhouse, the project represents a direct investment from Roma Capitale and the Capitoline Superintendency, managing a tender worth approximately 5 million euros from municipal funds.
Extensive Exhibition Spaces and Services
The facility spans approximately 1,500 square meters, distributed over two floors designed to host multiple initiatives simultaneously. The ground floor features over one thousand square meters dedicated to modular exhibition spaces, offices, a ticket office, and a specialized library boasting 3,000 volumes. The first floor, covering 450 square meters, includes a large multi-purpose hall of nearly 200 square meters and a visually striking exhibition balcony.
The renovation has carefully preserved the late 19th-century industrial architecture of the original building, harmoniously integrating cast iron structures, overhead tracks, and a trussed roof with contemporary elements. State-of-the-art lighting and climate control systems ensure flexible management of the spaces, adaptable to diverse exhibition needs.
Inaugural Exhibitions and Future Plans
The center’s logo, a monogram blending frame and content in a contemporary key, was also unveiled, symbolizing the foundational photographic concepts of framing, perspective, duality, and modularity.
The inaugural exhibitions will feature two prominent photographers. From January 30th to June 29th, 2026, visitors can explore “Irving Penn. PHOTOGRAPHS 1939-2007 – Masterpieces from the collection of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris,” dedicated to the renowned American photographer who passed away in 2009. This exhibition is curated by Alessandra Mauro, Pascal Höel, and Frédérique Dolivet, with contributions from main sponsor Urban Vision and in collaboration with Civita Mostre Spa.
Concurrently, “Silvia Camporesi. C’è un tempo e un luogo,” curated by Federica Muzzarelli, will showcase the work of the Italian photographer and artist.
During the same period, the “Campo visivo” space, dedicated to contemporary languages and experimentation, will host “Corpi reali e corpi immaginari,” curated by Daria Scolamacchia. This project offers a reflection on the body and gesture, intertwining archival materials, documentary images, and playful projections.
The Mattatoio’s Transformation into a “City of Arts”
The Testaccio Mattatoio, a complex of approximately 105,000 square meters built in 1881 and decommissioned in 1975, is undergoing a profound transformation to become one of Europe’s largest cultural hubs, managed by the newly established Mattatoio Foundation of Rome.
Thanks to collaborations with Università Roma Tre and Fondazione Roma, and a total investment of over 90 million euros from Pnrr and municipal funds, the works are expected to conclude between 2026 and 2027. Currently, 15 major construction sites are active, with some spaces already operational, including university facilities and exhibition areas.
The interventions include the restoration of the facade with its iconic tauromachia, the requalification of the pavilions, and the creation of new cultural functions, such as the Photography Center presented yesterday, January 8th.
Upcoming Project Milestones
The completion of works in the former cold storage Pavilion is anticipated in 2027, which will house the central library of the Faculty of Architecture of Roma Tre and a cafeteria. In March 2025, construction began on Palazzina 27, in the former Livestock Warehouse, destined to become a multimedia library with a study center. Interventions are also underway on the public spaces around the Mattatoio, including a new parking lot, the restoration of facades and the external perimeter, and the construction of a large event pavilion, expected to be ready by June 2026.
A new 550-meter cycle path, funded by Fondazione Roma, is also under construction, directly connecting the Tiber cycle path to the former Mattatoio, enhancing accessibility and urban integration of the area.
