The open-air museum Arte Sella

As part of my internship in Venice, other interns and I had a chance to take a day trip to Arte Sella from Venice. Arte Sella was an outdoor art museum located in Borgo Valusugana in the north of Italy. It was a unique experience as it was the first time I saw land art in such a beautiful mountainous landscape.

The bus ride to Arte Sella from **Venice** took around two to three hours. The ride towards the site was breathtaking since we enjoyed picturesque panoramic views from the roads. As we arrived at Arte Sella, I felt like we were in the countryside of Austria because of the crisp fresh air and the snowy alpine views. It was a completely different world to **Venice**.

What makes this artsy place different from other kinds of art exhibitions is that visitors can touch the artworks and play with them. *I love the idea that art can be interactive. *Arte Sella is also a spiritual place where art is mediated in a natural setting. **One of the highlights of the place is the Tree Cathedral designed by Giuliano Mauri. **The cathedral is an immersive structure of "natural architecture", and the idea behind this artwork is that it is **a living cathedral **- the trees as parts of the cathedral change according to the weather and seasons. The Tree Cathedral is a monument of art and nature for everyone.

Having lunch at the on-site restaurant is not a bad idea. While the food is quite pricey, and the service is not the best, the restaurant has tasty desserts such as apple strudel and fresh gelato. The most ideal way to enjoy your day out at Arte Sella is by having a picnic on the grass field. Arte Sella is a family-friendly site so bring your kids with you and let them learn about both art and nature at the same time!

Note: You may notice that I do not include any pictures of the artworks or exhibitions at Arte Sella. The organization reserves all rights to the artworks and images of the exhibitions and does not allow photographs for public use without permission. But you can still check out the images of the current exhibitions at Arte Sella by visiting their official website: http://www.artesella.it/en/.