In a landmark event in Barcelona’s culture, the Martorell Museum, the oldest museum in the city, has reopened its doors after being closed for 13 years.
The building, which dates back to 1882, has undergone a thorough renovation and now, renamed Centre Martorell d’Exposicions, is embarking on a new era of scientific exhibitions and cultural exploration.
This historic museum, located in Parc de la Ciutadella, is an integral part of the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona and has been a key part of the city’s cultural heritage.
Inaugurated in 1882, the building was designed by the architect Antoni Rovira i Trias and initially housed the Museu de Geologia, becoming over time a reference in the popularization of science and the exploration of natural history.
The Martorell Museum reopens its doors
The reopening of the Centre Martorell d’Exposicions coincides with the presentation of the renovated Hivernacle, both crucial elements in the ambitious project of the Ciutadella del Coneixement.
This project aims to turn the area into a pole of research and scientific dissemination of first level in collaboration with the administrations and universities.
The refurbishment of the Centre Martorell d’Exposicions, which began at the end of 2021, required an investment of five million euros, with 60% financed by the City Council and 40% by the Generalitat.
The first stage of this new chapter for the museum features two free exhibitions during the Christmas holidays.
The first, “Nature or Culture? Una visió des del museu de ciències naturals”, offers a historical tour of natural history museums, exploring the evolution of the relationship between humans and nature.
It presents emblematic collections of the Museu de Ciències Naturals, such as the skeleton of the elephant Avi, a Zoo celebrity who died in 1914.
The second exhibition, “WOW. Animals de museu: Ciència, tècnica i art”, is a fascinating exhibition by the taxidermist Antonio Pérez Rodríguez, who has developed an innovative technique of “taxidermy in movement”.
A cultural, historical and beautiful space
The Centre Martorell d’Exposicions is not only presented as a space to admire the beauty and diversity of nature, but also as a forum to address urgent issues such as the climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity and the current frontiers of scientific knowledge.
The history of the Martorell Museum is a history of legacy and renewal. Founded in 1882 by Francesc Martorell i Peña, an archaeologist and naturalist whose legacy gave rise to Barcelona’s first public museum, the building has gone through several phases and specializations.
From 1924 it focused on geology and in 2010, it closed its doors to the public. The comprehensive rehabilitation begun in 2021 seeks to preserve the museum’s rich history while adapting it to the challenges and expectations of the 21st century.
