the museu de arte moderna - mam (modern art museum), was inaugurated in 1948 by the famous brazilian art collector raymundo ottoni de castro maya, following a favorable period for the acquisition of works from european artists in the post-war era.

at that time, several brazilian businessmen, and among them de castro maya, decided to establish an institution that reflected brazil's modern artistic and cultural contributions, and a space for the consolidation of modernist esthetic.