MAATurities is a programme dedicated to an adult and senior audience, where contemporary themes will be presented through artistic discourses addressed in the museum's exhibition programme. In an open dialogue between different generations and life experiences, the theoretical (online) and theoretical-practical (in person at the museum) sessions act as meeting points for debate on questioning the world around us. We know how the languages of contemporary art sometimes present barriers to the public, just as we know that at no other stage in the history of art has the spectator's participation been called upon so much. The challenge is great and the dialogue fruitful.

The sessions are online and in person, divided monthly between two spaces, one via Zoom and the other at the museum. Each season, an open session will be held in partnership with the Biblioteca de Belém, Lisbon's library network.

Programme objectives:    

• To bring adult and senior audiences closer to the discourse of contemporary art.
• To provide tools for decoding the discourse of current artists.
• To foster the meeting point between discourses, languages, and narratives that the museum promotes, which is its action par excellence.
• To open a dialogue between individual and generational life experiences and historical, critical, and curatorial perspectives on a path to building collective knowledge.

Seasons 2025

Target: active and curious people with 60+ years old

Capacity: max: 25 people

Duration: 90 minutes each session

Price: 45€/season (25% discount with MAAT Friends Card)

1st season (Febrruary to May)
Everyday life in film

Contemporary art engages us in a dialogue about our times, whether it's realistic, critical, subversive, fantastical, unusual, sensationalist, or metaphorical. By examining the exhibitions at MAAT, we will draw connections between our perceptions of time and the depiction of everyday reality. This exploration will combine our ordinary experiences with the impactful imagery that cinematography provides.

01/02/2025, 10:30 - Open session: Meeting point at Biblioteca de Belém, Lisbon (bookings: bib.belem@cm-lisboa.pt)

05/02/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

19/02/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

01/03/2025, 10.30 (at MAAT)  

05/03/2025, 15.30 (online session)

19/03/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

29/03/2025, 10.30 (at MAAT)  

02/04/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

16/04/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

03/05/2025, 15.30 (at MAAT)  

2nd season (May to September)
The jewellery cabinet of ideas

Our thoughts, fantasies, dreams, and ambitions often lack a physical space, material form, or stage for expression. Art provides a realm for the mental landscape, enabling us to navigate a parallel universe of ideas that enrich our lives. These ideas feel like precious treasures, offering a diverse array of experiences. The artistic experience can also be viewed as an archive of possibilities that we don’t always articulate.

17/05/2025, 10.30 - Open session: Meeting point at Biblioteca de Belém, Lisbon (bookings: bib.belem@cm-lisboa.pt)

21/05/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

31/05/2025, 10.30 (at MAAT)  

04/06/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

18/06/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

28/06/2025, 10.30 (at MAAT) 

02/07/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

10/09/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

24/09/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

27/09/2025, 10:30 (at MAAT) 

3rd season (October to December)
Does the idyllic space fit in the real city?

Artistic expressions such as poetry and painting can transport us to idyllic, utopian landscapes that stand in contrast to reality. In contrast, architecture, with its emphasis on functionality, grounds us in the real world. When well-conceived and designed, architecture can create incredible experiences in our lives; however, when poorly planned, it can lead to significant disasters. What is the balance between the idyllic and reality? How can the concept of real cities inspire us to aspire to a better world?

04/10/2025, 10:30 -  Open session: Meeting point at Biblioteca de Belém, Lisbon (bookings: bib.belem@cm-lisboa.pt)

08/10/2025, 15.30 (online session)

15/10/2025, 15.30 (online session) 

25/10/2025, 10.30 (at MAAT)  

05/11/2025, 15.30 (online session)

15/11/2025, 10.30 (at MAAT)  

19/11/2025,15.30 (online session) 

26/11/2025, 15.30 (online session)

13/12/2025, 10.30 (at MAAT) 

17/12/ 2025, 15.30 (online session)