Else Beekman
If you’re interested in art and history, you’ll love Spain’s network of more than 1,500 museums. They house everything from modern masterpieces to ancient art form, fashion and culture. These are our pick of the best museums in Spain.
Spain’s museums contain some of the finest collections in the world. These are just a few that you can’t afford to miss.
Prado Museum, Madrid
The Prado has one of the largest art collections in the world and is best known for its diverse assortment of works by Velasquez, Goya and El Greco. A day is not enough to see it all.
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao
A work of art in itself, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao houses a large collection of modern and contemporary art – a continuation of the Guggenheim legacy. And it’s not only miraculous on the inside, the building itself is a wonderful piece of architecture too. The renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed this hub for new art and new ideas.
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia
The City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia is a unique complex devoted to scientific and cultural dissemination, made up of five main elements: the Hemisfèric the Umbracle, the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, the Oceanográfico (the largest aquarium in Europe with over 500 marine species) and the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía.
Museo Automovilistico y de la Moda, Málaga
Almost a hundred historic cars are on show alongside more than 200 haute couture pieces and contemporary art designs in Málaga’s Automobile and Fashion Museum. Set in part of the old tobacco factory, it’s a wonderful, interactive museum.
Dali Theatre Museum, Figueres
Established in 1974, the museum stands on the remains of the former Figueres Theatre. It features a broad range of works of Salvador Dalí and is possibly the last great work of the great artist. He conceived and designed everything to provide visitors a real experience and draw them into his unique and captivating world.
“It’s obvious that other worlds exist, that’s certain; but, as I’ve already said in many other occasions, these other worlds are inside ours, they reside on earth and are precisely at the centre of the dome of the Dalí Museum, which contains the new, unsuspected and hallucinatory world of Surrealism”. Dalí
Museo Picasso, Malaga
Not only does the museum have an ever evolving and rotating collection by Picasso, it’s also in a renovated city palace. The renaissance building with Mudejar elements, has historical and artistic value, and is in the historic centre of Malaga city.
Museu d’historia de Manacor, Menorca
Good things come in small packages, and museums are no exception. This delightful gem explores the history of the island from pre-history to Muslim times. There are workshops and activities for children. Access to the museum is free.