ARCA - Museo di arte religiosa contemporanea

In December 2006, the Association 'Oltre il Chiostro onlus' inaugurated the ARCA Museum at the historic Monumental Complex of Santa Maria La Nova in Naples. The acronym ARCA stands for Contemporary Religious Art. Following a two-year start-up phase and a favourable preliminary investigation by the Museums and Libraries Sector, the museum was granted recognition of regional interest in 2008.

The museum is divided into six different sections and houses religious testimonies of contemporary art created by artists of national and international importance, dating from 1949 to the present day.

Furthermore, the museum has recently commenced a collaborative endeavour with the Associazione Italiana Amici del Presepio (Italian Association of Friends of the Crib) with the objective of establishing a permanent section dedicated to crib art. This initiative aims to underscore the cultural and historical-artistic significance of one of the most ancient manifestations of Neapolitan tradition and culture on a global scale.