When the Maxxi Museum, Rome's newest contemporary art venue, was unveiled to critics last November, it was greeted with largely favorable reviews. New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff even suggested that if "Pope Urban were alive today, I’m certain he and Ms. Hadid would be having breakfast right now, plotting the next move.” At the time, however, Hadid’s £138 million ($200 million) museum was being judged solely as architecture: it was devoid of art.

As an architect of fantastical designs that rarely emerge from their digital-modeling matrices into the real world, Hadid has a reputation as a hard-charging diva whose buildings have been similarly criticized as being more about glamor and theatrics than actual function. With the unveiling of the first art exhibitions at Maxxi over the weekend — a slate of shows including surveys of artist Gino De Dominicis and architect Luigi Moretti — many wondered if Hadid could balance the drama of her spectacular architecture with the quieter needs of art. According to most critics, she has succeeded, for the most part.

“The important revelation is that these works do not, as some predicted, shrivel and die in the mighty volumes of Hadid's architecture,” Observer architecture critic Rowan Moore writes. But: “It is not a place that favours the slow and measured contemplation of works and you wouldn't want to show Vermeers here.” All told, he writes, "this sensation trumps its imperfections."

Telegraph writer Susan Marling is even more optimistic about the potential of Hadid’s building to display art. “For one thing," she writes, "the spaces give the curators a wonderful freedom to mix art and architecture to place work in intriguing juxtaposition and use the walkways to grandstand large works or moving pictures.” Roman politicians have been notoriously tough on modern architecture — one mayor threatened to demolish Richard Meiers Ara Pacis museum — but Marling believes this project will be embraced. “Many younger Romans are hungry for modernity,” she writes.

“Yes, Romans are starved for contemporary culture,” Vanity Fairs Matt Tyrnauer concurs, almost too perfectly. “Hadid has done virtuoso sculpting of interior space," he enthuses. "There are many levels and surprise vistas inside MAXXI, which is a museum meant to be toured by way of its grand stairs.” (Hmm... grand stairs.... Do we hear the beginnings of a Vanity Fair photo shoot at the museum? Perhaps for their "Beautiful, Young, & Wealthy Italians" issue?)

Hadid herself does not seem to be particularly anxious about the project’s reception, according to Tyrnauer. For one thing, i populi seem to like it: 25,000 reportedly visited the museum during its first three days. Questioned at the opening party, Hadid asked Tyrnauer: “Why should I be nervous? The building has been seen by everybody because it’s been done, sitting empty for a few months. They like it.” Enough said.