Opened in October 1995, the museum occupied a historic house in Cosme Velho, Rio de Janeiro, near the Corcovado Train to Christ the Redeemer. There, Lucien’s private collection took on a public life, becoming an institution devoted to the preservation, study, and presentation of naïve art.
Recognized as one of the world’s foremost references in the field, MIAN brought together approximately 6,000 works by Brazilian and international artists from around 120 countries. Spanning different periods, geographies, and approaches to art-making, the collection placed celebrated artists alongside lesser-known voices and creators often absent from conventional histories of art.
For Lucien, the significance of these artists lay not in formal training, prestige, or affiliation with a particular school, but in the singularity and force of their work.
Over the course of its history, the museum presented permanent and temporary exhibitions, published books and catalogues, welcomed researchers, and developed guided visits, workshops, and educational programs for children, schools, and families.
After more than twenty years of activity, MIAN closed permanently in December 2016. Its legacy, however, endures through the works that have been preserved, the institutions that received part of its collection*, and the artists whose work Lucien Finkelstein and MIAN helped to recognize, document, and bring before the public.
*Works belonging to the former Lucien Finkelstein Foundation, recognized as public heritage, were transferred to other cultural institutions in the state of Rio de Janeiro, including the Museu do Pontal and the Museu Histórico Nacional.