Tour two modern centers for the arts with an architectural historian that will explain their cutting-edge designs and construction challenges. As an introduction to bold design, you will first see La Nuvola, a convention center with a cloud-shaped structure that seems to float within the main building. That glimpse sets the stage for your in-depth tour of MAXXI, Italy’s first national museum of contemporary art. Architect Zaha Hadid describes her creation as a campus for art designed to embody the chaotic fluidity of modern life. As you will discover, MAXXI is a dynamic interactive space with curved concrete walls and suspended black staircases. Following lunch at the museum’s Mediterraneo restaurant, you will visit the Auditorium Parco della Musica, a remarkable music complex that architect Renzo Piano designed. When an ancient Roman villa was unearthed during construction, the new building had to be modified to keep the ruins intact. The details make for a fascinating story.