Pinacoteca Metropolitana di Bari (Bari Metropolitan Art Gallery), Bari

Established in 1928, this public gallery has long stood as a cultural reference point. In 1936, it moved to its current Neo-Renaissance-style building designed by Luigi Baffa, where it now serves as the largest regional art museum in Southern Italy, showcasing a broad spectrum of artistic works from Apulia and beyond.

Spanning roughly 20 rooms, the collection unfolds chronologically and thematically. Visitors encounter medieval sculptures, Apulian icons, and Venetian masterpieces drawn from local churches-works by Vivarini, Bellini, Bordon, Tintoretto, and Palma il Giovane offer a glimpse into Bari’s historical artistic intersections. The journey continues with Baroque and Neapolitan paintings by Luca Giordano, Francesco De Mura, and other masters, as well as an entire gallery dedicated to Apulia’s own Corrado Giaquinto.

Further enhancing the experience is the Grieco Collection, added in the late 1980s. It features late-19th- and early-20th-century Italian masterpieces, including works by the Macchiaioli Italian art movement, Giovanni Boldini, Giorgio de Chirico, Carlo Carrà, Filippo de Pisis-and a modern “Hall of the 1900s” showcasing contemporary artists such as Pino Pascali, Piero Dorazio, and Giuseppe Santomaso.