Today, the Food and Agriculture Museum & Network (FAO MuNe) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was inaugurated by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, launching an exciting new experience in Rome that invites audiences to explore the relationship between food, agriculture and humanity while discovering 80 years of FAO's work.
Open to the public and covering approximately 1,300 m², FAO MuNe is a dynamic educational platform that brings together agricultural heritage and traditions, science and innovation. Housed at FAO's headquarters between Rome's Circus Maximo and the Colosseum, FAO MuNe is an informative, interactive and immersive experience designed to make complex ideas about food, agriculture, and sustainability accessible to all. Its "Explore. Learn. Act." slogan turns FAO's mission to end hunger and malnutrition into a call to action, inspiring visitors to transform knowledge into action.
The inauguration took place on the occasion of World Food Day and the Organization's 80th anniversary.
"We are so proud to inaugurate the Food and Agriculture Museum and Network," said FAO-Director-General Qu. "FAO MuNe offers a new way to share FAO's mandate with the world through knowledge, culture, and innovation, connecting and inspiring global audiences."
Italian President Mattarella noted that to be key actors, citizens must have information. "Knowledge is the driving force that stimulates greater commitment, channeling energy, especially of the new generations. The laudable inspiration behind the Food and Agriculture Museum & Network is fully in step with this logic: building awareness to better understand the challenges ahead of us."
Supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, FAO MuNe is a dedicated space for cultural exchange and innovation. It is home to more than 1.5 million volumes - a physical and digital collection of rare and important books from around the world, including the historic David Lubin collection - covering over 500 years of agricultural publications and documents.
At the heart of FAO MuNe is an art collection of more than 60 pieces donated by around 40 FAO Members from the six regions of the world where FAO works, each sharing a story of its land and people. Among these donations are unique life size artists' sculptures such Michelangelo Pistoletto's Cultivating the Third Paradise, which bridges nature, society, and technology in search of harmony, and Pablo Atchugarry's Peace with Nature, a century-old olive tree reborn as a symbol of humanity's reconciliation with the environment.
Other works on display have traveled from across various regions of the world to find their new home at the FAO MuNe. Together, these contributions form a vibrant dialogue among nations through art and objects, crossing linguistic and geographic spaces. Cultural exhibits highlight diverse food traditions from across the world, while innovative digital tools invite guests to imagine the future of farming, food, and nutrition. In this living space, art, science, and culture converge, turning the Museum into a meeting point where knowledge becomes inspiration and leads to action. Evolving content and rotating exhibits curated via our global network will ensure there is always something new to discover.
FAO MuNe will start welcoming visitors from Monday through Saturday on 20 October 2025. Reservations can be made directly on its website or by contacting [email protected]. The address is Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy.
Why MuNe matters
Food is more than sustenance - it represents culture, identity, and diplomacy. FAO MuNe offers a space for learning, dialogue, and collaboration, linking agricultural heritage with contemporary innovation.
Its FoodS Lab - the 'kitchen of the world' - is fully equipped and will host workshops, cooking demos, interactive shows, and expert talks that explore global food traditions, sustainability, and innovative solutions. By connecting cultural institutions, universities, and partners worldwide, the museum fosters awareness and exchange on global food security and cooperation.
As a global network, FAO MuNe connects institutions, partners, and communities, creating a global hub for collaboration and dialogue that links local experiences with global knowledge.
One of the Museum's most meaningful spaces - the room dedicated to Indigenous Peoples - reminds visitors that traditional knowledge, respect for nature, and community values are essential to building more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.
The Museum's first Network member, ICCROM - the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property - has supported the initiative by sharing its expertise in cultural heritage preservation.
"We look forward to continuing our fruitful collaboration," the Director-General said of ICCROM's membership. "As the Network expands, it will amplify the Museum's message, linking local experiences with global knowledge and creating new opportunities for dialogue, partnership, and learning."
Guided by FAO's Four Betters - Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life - FAO MuNe reflects the Organization's Strategic Framework and its alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
