Spain has a great many small museums, and each of them offers something the large institutions do not. They let you look at particular corners of art and history, away from the crowds. Each has its own subject, from Roman art to contemporary fashion. Spain is full of small museums that let you see the country’s heritage close up.
The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
In the middle of Bilbao, and remarkable for a collection that runs across periods and styles. Its strength is not only the works themselves but the story of art it tells across the centuries.
The Spanish masters
The permanent collection includes work by the great Spanish masters. Among them:
- El Greco
- Francisco de Goya
- Diego Velázquez
- José de Ribera
- Murillo
These belong to movements that shaped Spanish culture, not only to their own moment.
The Basque artists
The museum also gives real space to artists from the region, which is how you follow the development of Basque art. Among them:
- Aitor Oroz
- Jorge Oteiza
- Eduardo Chillida
Their work shows the cultural identity of the Basque Country and how it has changed.
The temporary exhibitions
There is a continuous programme alongside the permanent collection, which lets visitors see:
- new readings of artistic movements;
- contemporary work set against the classical;
- emerging artists and what they are contributing.
Their value is in the range of people they draw, and in the argument they start.
Abstract art in the hanging houses of Cuenca
The Museum of Spanish Abstract Art, in the hanging houses of Cuenca, holds a remarkable collection of the best Spanish abstract work.
Fernando Zóbel
The museum exists because of the artist Fernando Zóbel, who did more than anyone to spread abstract art in Spain, and whose idea it was to build a space around modernity.
How the work is shown
How the works sit inside the hanging houses is a lesson in combining architecture and art. The exhibitions are designed to work with the building.
The temporary exhibitions
Each year there are temporary shows presenting new readings of abstract art, which draw specialists and newcomers alike.
Fashion and design at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum
In Getaria, and a tribute to one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. It shows how Balenciaga developed and what he did to fashion.
The dresses and accessories
The collection spans his whole career. Among the pieces that stand out:
- evening dresses in remarkable fabrics;
- bags and hats;
- designs that set the direction of their moment.
Each of them shows his ability to put form and function together, which left a permanent mark on the industry.
His influence today
His legacy goes well beyond his own period: his approach to cut and silhouette has shaped a great many contemporary designers. Characteristic elements such as:
- a bold use of volume and architectural form;
- innovations in how a garment is constructed;
- the exploration of new materials and techniques.
All of it still shows in fashion today.
The guided tours
The museum runs guided tours that go into his life and work in depth. They cover:
- his biography and his training;
- an analysis of his collections;
- the historical context of his career.
The guides add a great deal that is not on the labels.
Naïve art in Jaén
The Manuel Moral International Museum of Naïve Art is a landmark in Jaén, built around the spontaneity and colour of the style. What makes it unusual is both the collection and where it sits.
The works and the artists
Over 600 pieces by Spanish and international artists, from vivid landscapes to portraits of considerable tenderness. Among the artists:
- Rosa Borrás
- José Royo
- Mireia Ruiz
The naïve style is minimal, and it catches ordinary life without varnishing it.
The Palacio de Villardompardo
The museum is housed in a Renaissance palace of considerable historical importance, which adds a great deal to the visit.
The Arab baths
Inside the palace are eleventh-century Arab baths, unique in the city and among the few of their kind still standing. They are a remarkable record of the Islamic legacy in the region, and their restoration lets visitors see it directly.
Sephardic history in Toledo
The Sephardic Museum in Toledo covers the history of the Jewish communities in Spain. Housed in a historic building, it lets you follow their cultural and social legacy across the centuries.
The Tránsito synagogue
Built in the fourteenth century, and a magnificent example of Mudéjar architecture. It stands for a period in which Jewish culture flourished here, before the expulsion. Today it houses the museum.
The collection
It includes:
- ceramics and metalwork;
- textiles and old manuscripts;
- religious and everyday objects showing how these communities lived.
Beyond the craftsmanship, they show how several cultures acted on one another over time.
What the museum does
It is central to how this heritage is understood. Through its exhibitions and its educational work it builds understanding and respect, and it invites reflection on a shared history.
Roman art in Mérida
Mérida is where Roman art in Spain is at its richest, and its museum is where you see it.
The building
The National Museum of Roman Art, designed by Rafael Moneo, stands out for its red brick façade and for how it sits within the historic city.
The works and the mosaics
Inside are works and mosaics that tell you how ordinary Roman life was lived. Among them:
- mosaics from the Roman villas, with their intricate designs;
- sculptures of mythological figures and portraits of historical ones;
- everyday objects from the life of the city.
The site around it
The museum sits alongside the Roman theatre and amphitheatre, which is what gives the collection its context.
