Opened in 1985 as a center for the work of Spanish sculptor Julio González, the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern (IVAM)—in English, the Valencian Institute of Modern Art—has grown in influence to become one of the country’s most important contemporary art museums. A modernist slab situated where the Carmen district meets the old river Túria, the IVAM is once more on a roll, and a new creative energy is evident in its thought-provoking exhibitions. The outdoor terrace-bar is a fun place to take the weight off your feet with a cold cerveza.
