The Manzù Collection, officially opened to the public in 1981 and it is under the control of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome, was founded in Ardea during the mid 1960’s by the Friends of Manzù Committee.
Divided into two large areas, the collection contains 462 works including sculptures, drawings, engravings, jewellery and medals, dating from 1950 to 1970, which illustrate the mature period in the life of Manzù. In these works the artist elaborates many of the themes he had already developed during the 1930s.
The only two pieces of the collection that document the early years of the artist are located in the first area, the bas-reliefs of Adamo e Eva (Adam and Eve) in bronze and l’Annunciazione (The Annunciation) in glazed stucco.
The next area houses the small Cardinale seduto (TheSitting Cardinal) from 1957 and the bas-reliefs Due Cardinali (Two Cardinals) from 1960.
At the end of the hall one can see two important sculptures, David from 1939 and a portrait of Francesca Blanc, a young woman often depicted by Manzù.
The construction of the building housing the museum began in March 1967. It was designed by the architect Thomas Porn. White and minimalist, the building is inspired by Northern European rationalism, in order to avoid giving precedence to the container over the content. The museum is surrounded by a garden in which bronze sculptures by the master are displayed, such as i due Nastri (1970 circa), with its ribbons running through the grass and the water in a small pool. The arrangement of the plants, some of which are rare, and the design of the beola granite external pathways, are also by Manzù.