the museum replicates the Montreal Expo pavilion, standing high. Six buildings comprise the museum, and they are connected by covered walkways. Between the buildings and walkways is an internal garden which displays artworks by Soto and others as an open-air museum. The design of the museum is reminiscent of Roman villas and Cathedral cloisters. Villanueva was inspired by Mediterranean architecture and contracted builders from Andalusia, Spain, for the project. The buildings are relatively uniform, as they are all wide. However, there are various design differences. The first building has two storeys; besides being the entrance to the museum it is used for administration. In the following four buildings, artworks unsuitable for outside are exhibited. The sixth building is very tall and designed after the Venezuelan pavilion in Montreal. The administration building has its load-bearing columns set back so that the roof overhangs, the fourth building has two storeys, and the modular layout inside the exhibition buildings differ to accommodate the artwork. The interior walls do not reach the roofs, and there are gaps between the top of the external walls and the roofs, creating "a strip of natural light" and so fulfilling Villanueva's principle "that the roof, walls and natural spaces merge integrated into the architecture." The garden was designed for the best sunlight and to work in the space between buildings. The second, third, and fourth buildings of the complex all have three plain walls to increase exhibition space, with the fourth wall being almost entirely open to "make nature another exhibition object." Art The museum showcases Soto's works, but also includes art by international artists, particularly pieces with movement and dynamics. At its opening, there were eight Soto works in the museum: Muro Óptico (1952), Muro Blanco (1953), Ritmo Vibratorio (1957), Relaciones y Vibración (1964), Relaciones Negro-Plata (1966), Relaciones Virtuales (1967), Ambiente, extensión blanca (1971), and Vibración Central (1971). By 2012, there were 350 works housed at the museum; 122 of these are from international kinetic artists, and the remainder are works by Venezuelan artists including Soto, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Rafael Martínez, Alejandro Otero, Manuel Mérida, Armando Pérez and Francisco Salazar. References External links Museo de Arte Moderno Jesús Soto at Venezuelatuya 1973 establishments in Venezuela Art museums and galleries in Venezuela Art museums established in 1973 Buildings and structures in Ciudad Bolívar Mediterranean Revival architecture Modern art museums Tourist attractions in Bolívar (state)