Exceptional Malaga: the Museums city

MALAGA is becoming a really stunning city, not only as a place to visit, but also as a preferred destination for living, studying or spending some time every year.

There are 36 museums, most of them concentrated in the historic quarter, making Málaga's old town one of those with the highest density of museums.

You can find a summary of the museums and art centres below.

For more information download the leaflet 

Museo Picasso Málaga

The  collection

The Museo Picasso Málaga was born of the brilliant painter's desire to have an exhibition space in his hometown. Christine and Bernard Picasso, daughter-in-law and grandson of the artist, made this wish possible by providing the core of the collection.

The collection features 233 works that cover 80 years of the painter's work, from 1892 to 1972. In its 11 rooms, you can see how Picasso breaks with convention and breaks new creative ground. He is considered the most important artist of the 20th century. He was also a very versatile creator, as proved by works in several disciplines.

Subjects such as support for the most disadvantaged, family, familiar characters, everyday occurrences, are examples of what can be found in the work exhibited in Málaga. Among these we can single out some, such as "Mother and Child", "Composition", "Woman with arms raised", "Acrobat", "Olga Khokhlova with shawl" or "Insect".
 

The building

Buenavista Palace, former seat of the Museum of Fine Arts, has enjoyed the status of a national monument since 1939. Its front façade is entirely of stone, a unique feature, and inside you can see a beautiful courtyard with arcades.During its rehabilitation as an art gallery, the Phoenician and Roman ruins that are now part of the museum were discovered.

The Museo Picasso Málaga, opened in October 2003, consists of this Renaissance building with Mudejar elements, and other architecturally modern buildings to complete the installations. In the centre we find the Fig Tree Patio, presided over by this beautiful fruit tree, leading to the library, shop and auditorium.

Centre Pompidou Málaga

The Centre Pompidou Malaga is the first one that this Parisian art institution has opened outside France

 The center proposes all public to feel the experience of the Centre Pompidou through its wealthy collection, its excellent schedules, the mutual interference of artistic disciplines and its innovative mediation programs. Malaga, birthplace of Picasso and an international tourist destination place, positions the culture and the museums in the center of a new stage of its development

The colection

The exhibition presented by the permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou Malaga is divided into five topics: las metamorfosis, el cuerpo en pedazos, el cuerpo político, autorretratos, el hombre sin rostro (the metamorphosis, the body in pieces, the political body, self-portraits and the man without a face). They are extended pointing in two directions. It is an emblematic building and a unique cultural model.

In Malaga, the Centre Pompidou will offer a permanent exhibition of several dozens of works of the impressionist collection of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, inviting the public to explore the art of the XX and XXI centuries. Some of the names in the first presentation of the collections, which exceeds the 90 pieces, suffice to highlight the importance of the project: Francis Bacon, Georg Baselitz, Constantin Brâncuși, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst, Alberto Giacometti, Jean Hélion, Frida Kahlo, Fernand Léger, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Francis Picabia, Pablo Picasso, Antoni Tàpies, Jean Tinguely and Kees Van Dongen.

Along with this permanent presence, two or three temporary exhibitions, either thematic or monographic, will be presented per year. These exhibitions will explore the different parts of the collection (photography, design, architecture, and video). This experience will be lived through multidisciplinary programs dedicated to the dance, the performance, the word and the cinema, helped by devices intended mostly for a younger audience.

Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga. (Málaga Centre for Contemporary Art)

The CAC Málaga is located in the old Málaga Wholesale Market, a historic building. The museum is intended for reflection on and dissemination of contemporary art. Exhibitions, publications, conferences, educational programs, workshops and seminars are some of the many activities that make CAC Málaga a living, dynamic and innovative centre, open to all kinds of artistic and cultural events in the international vanguard.
 

The collection

The permanent collection is constantly evolving. In addition to the new acquisitions by the City of Málaga, the institution's owner, the museum has introduced a loan system by which by private collectors can loan their works for a limited time.
 
You can take a tour through artistic movements and trends of the 20th century, especially the most recent decades, from the '50s to today. Louise Bourgeois, Art & Language, Olafur Eliasson, Thomas Hirschhorn, Damien Hirst, Julian Opie, Thomas Ruff and Thomas Struth are some artists whose works hang in the Contemporary Art Centre of Málaga.
 

The building

The former Wholesale Market is a historic building designed in 1927 by Luis Gutiérrez Soto author of the 1930 Barajas airport. Built in 1939, the building has a two-storey, triangular floor plan, defined by cubic spaces and straight lines.
 
In 1983 it was no longer used as a market and later it was proposed for use as a museum. In 1987, steps were taken to have the building declared of Cultural Interest. On completing the reforms in February 2003,  the building was opened to the public.
 
There are 6,000 square metres of total area, of which 2,400 are given over to exhibits and the rest to conferences and other cultural events.

Collection of Saint Petersburg the Russian Museum, Málaga

The centre Collection of Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg/ Málaga has 2,300 square meters and 777 linear meters to exhibit works of art in a building adapted to this new use within the premises of the old tobacco factory of the city, known as Tabacalera (tobacco industry) and erected in the 1920s, according to the model of regionalist architecture which was in vogue then.

By means of a hundred pieces dating from the period between the XV and

XX centuries that are specially selected for Málaga, in addition to the works,

each year two temporary exhibitions will be integrated. Agreement signed

by Málaga City Council and the mother Museum in St. Petersburg, allows a

permanent dialog between Russian artistic creation and visitors.

The collection

Works chosen for the first year cover from icons inspired by the Byzantine

tradition to the socialist realism of the Soviet era: an impressive set of pieces

ranging from the small size up to monumental pieces. These works bear

witness to the rich Russian artistic legacy in the past few centuries, with

worldwide and well-known names of the Russian and Soviet art, such as

Repin, Kandinsky, Tatlin, Rodchenko o Chagall, until other authors that will

be a discovery for visitors. Here these latter will also find a centre that, in

addition, will offer two temporary exhibitions each year, with works selected

from among the more than 400,000 ones that the State Russian Museum

treasures in St. Petersburg.

 

These works will be continuously enveloped by a non-stop and varied cultural

offer by means of guided tours, film screenings and concerts that help

to know the great wealth of the Russian art in the best way: from orthodox

devotion that represent icons with a gold background, to the middle-class

tradition of portrait or landscape, to the great upheavals of the cubist,

cube-futuristic and constructivist avant-gardes, and to the social message

of socialist realism. All the ups and downs of the Russian art will be present

in the Collection of Russian Museum, St. Petersburg/ Málaga, which is the

first stable and permanent relationship between a Russian museum and a

Spanish city.

 

The permanent exhibition of the Collection of the Russian Museum,

St. Petersburg/Malaga is divided into nine thematic areas: the old

Russian art, the XVIII century, Romanticism in Russia, Realism, Realism

with Russian topics, the movement of “World of Art” and Neoprimitivism,

the Avant-garde, Socialist Realism and art in the Melting

Era that was experienced after the death of Stalin.

Carmen Thyssen Museum Málaga

Carmen Thyssen Museum Málaga is the most comprehensive collection of 19th-century Andalusian painting in Spain. It is located in the Palacio de Villalón, a 16th-century palatial building located in the heart of Málaga. The permanent collection consists of 230 works that brilliantly summarise 19th-century Spanish art.
 

The collection

These works of the Carmen Thyssen Bornemisza Collection have been on display since March 2011. The works are mainly from the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are four different routes.
 
Old Masters: housed in the former Palace chapel, are works of great masters of the 13th to the 17th century, such as Zurbarán or Ezquerra. The latter is the creator of an outstanding work that you can view in the museum: “Santa Marina”.
 
Romantic Landscape and Costumbrismo displays how the way of capturing landscapes changed during romanticism. In these works, national and foreign authors recreate bullfighting traditions, gypsy themes, fiestas or architecture with a Morisco air.
 
Précieux style and naturalist painting: the change in Spanish painting in the mid-19th century fills the works with colour and realism. The paintings are smaller, but have more detail, leaving aside romance to focus on reality.
 
Fin-de-siècle: this section brings together major artists who were key figures in rethinking and modernising Spanish painting at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Sorolla, Casas and Iturrino share space with Zuloaga and Julio Romero de Torres, a Cordoban painter and creator of works like "Buenaventura", which can be seen at this museum.
 

The building

A stately 16th-century building, the Palacio de Villalón is the heart of the museum to which have been added new buildings making a fabulous ensemble for the gallery.
 
As in other old buildings of Málaga, Roman remains were found in the subsoil during the refurbishment. In this building the pools for making Garum were discovered; Garum was product that Málaga exported to much of the Roman Empire. You will also see some Roman household rooms with figurative decorations.

Museo Automovilístico de Málaga. (Automobile Museum Málaga)

This is an amazing collection of over ninety exclusive models including Jaguar, Aston Martin, Bugatti, Rolls Royce and Porsche, among others, located in the historical tobacco factory building. They illustrate the evolution of automobile design through ten themed rooms. The museum also features a unique display of engines converted to art and over 300 original hats 20-50 years by great designers such as Dior, Chanel and Balenciaga among others.
 

The collection

It is divided into 10 rooms through which we can follow automotive history from its beginnings to today.
 
La Belle Epoque ranges from the late 19th century until the First World War and we can see the beginnings of the automobile as a development of the horse and carriage. Later, artistic details and commodities were added to satisfy upper-class buyers.
 
After the war, in the "Golden 20s", began an economic and social development during which fashion was liberalized and women's emancipation began. Some examples of this period, which lasted until the crash of 1929, are a Hispano Suiza and a 1920 Nash.
 
The "Art Deco of the 30s" bought luxury vehicles, beauty and elegance such as the 1937 Mercedes 540K, made to demonstrate the power of Germany at the Paris Motor Show.   
 
With the widespread use of the car among the middle classes, we reach the "popular cars" section, practical vehicles and among which are an 1930  Austin Seven and a 1955 Fuldamobile.
 
Great car designers built a series of aesthetically advanced automobiles, that keep their majesty to this day; we can admire them in "Designer Cars".
 
In "Dream Cars" we find Hollywood-style vehicles such as Cadillacs that belonged to celebrities and millionaires. In "English Tradition" we shall admire a wide range of stunning Rolls Royce, Jaguars and Bentleys.
 
"Dolce Vita, 50s", "Alternative Energy" and "Tuning" complete this surprising museum collection that displays the art of vehicles from all eras.
 

The building

The Automobile Museum of Málaga is located in the city's former tobacco factory, which, after the business closed, became part of Málaga's heritage.

It is a beautiful complex, built in 1923, consisting of a set of eleven regionalist-styled pavilions with Renaissance elements.

Picasso Foundation. Casa Natal Museum

Pablo  Picasso, the most important painter of the 20th century, was born in 1881 at number 15 Plaza de la Merced. Declared a Historic/Artistic Monument of National Interest in 1983, Casa Natal Museum began by occupying the first floor and now occupies the entire building. In 2005, another exhibition centre opened at number 13 in the Plaza de la Merced.
 
 The property nestles in the architectural complex known as Casas de Campos (Rural Houses) where Don José Ruiz Blasco and Maria Picasso, Pablo Ruiz Picasso's parents, lived.
 
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Museo del Patrimonio Municipal (MUPAM) (Municipal Heritage Museum)

Here is a permanent display of a selection from the historic and artistic Municipal Heritage. Paintings, sculptures and graphic works including works by Picasso or Carlos Haes.
 

The collection

With a catalogue of over 4,000 pieces, including sculptures, paintings and graphic works, 94 of the most representative pieces are permanently displayed. As for sculpture, the 66 artists that will be shown in successive exhibitions related to the 20th century are worthy of note.
 
The tour, which begins in the lobby of the museum, goes through "Room I" dedicated to the period between the 15th and 18th centuries when Málaga became part of the kingdom of Aragón and Castile, transforming it from a predominantly Arabic society to a Castilian one. There is also a section devoted to baroque celebrations.
 
"Room II" focuses on the 19th century and recreates the City Council's first municipal museum. We can learn about the origins of Picasso, the "Masters of the 19th century" or Carlos Haes, who features in the "Masterpiece" section.
 
Finally "Room III" is dedicated to 20th century artists, especially those who had some connection with the City Council as the "First Scholarships" or the Generation of 50s who ushered the art of Málaga into the modern era. We should also highlight the "Contemporary Trends" that accommodates current Málaga artists.
 

The building

Built by architect Federico Orellana Ortega, the museum was opened in March 1999 and became Municipal Heritage Museum (MUPAM) in 2007.
 
The building has another module of three floors opened in 2003, designed by architects Miguel Rodríguez González and Pau Soler Serratosa. It is  given over to temporary exhibitions.

Museo Catedralicio (Cathedral Museum)

Located in the old chapter house, it has a carved 16th century Mudejar ceiling. It features a selection of his pictorial and sculptural heritage, with important works by Pedro de Mena and Jose Ribera, amongst others. The collection is completed by silver liturgical objects, carvings and embroidery, caskets, reliquaries, altar pieces and ivory crucifixes. The Museum visit is part of the Cathedral visit.
 

The collection

It is divided into two rooms where we can observe several works from the different parts of the Cathedral; in the first you can see works of art while the second contains objects related to religion, as well as ceramics and carvings.
 
Among the paintings that can be seen in the first room are canvasses by great authors such as José de Ribera and Luis Morales. In this room they share a space with small 17th century sculptures.

The Episcopal seat of the Bishop Santos Olivera presides over the second room, where we can see, among other liturgical items, outstanding gold and ivory pieces.
 

The building

The Cathedral of Málaga is one of the city's main landmarks. It was built between 1528 and 1782 according to plans by Diego de Siloé.
 
It has a Baroque-style façade with a Renaissance interior. It is divided into three naves, the central one being the widest. In Málaga it is popularly known as "La Manquita" (One-armed) because one of its towers is unfinished.

Museo del Vidrio y Cristal. (Glass Museum)

The extraordinary paintings of the facade of this 18th-century building, and its internal structure tell us just how unique the museum is. We can admire some 3,000 pieces of glass, along with a significant representation of paintings, furniture and decorative objects belonging to different historical periods, creating a magical atmosphere in the domestic context in which their first owners lived.

The collection

Of the whole of this private collection, about 1,000 pieces are on display, the rest being constantly rotated; they are displayed alongside exquisite decoration and furnishings.

Beginning with "Ancient Civilizations", we can see ancient Egyptian, Phoenician, Byzantine, medieval pieces or even Iranian pieces from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Catalan, Venetian and Bohemian glass along with portraits signed by Adrian Hanneman and John Riley are in the "16th and 17th Century Room".

Accompanied by paintings by Mercier, Vanderbank or Wright of Derby the "18th Century Room" contains glass made in "La Granja" during the reign of Carlos III and Carlos IV.

The "19th Century Room" welcomes us with the painting "Portrait of a Lady" and highlights its collection of glass cameos. The visit is completed by the "20th Century" with pieces of Gallé, Lalique, Whitefriars and other glassmakers of the mid-century pop school.
 

The building
 

The museum is located in an 18th century mansion known as the old San Felipe Neri inn by the church of the same name, in the Málaga's artisan district.

This building is built around a courtyard of columns and galleries. It was renovated to ensure all the rooms had natural light.

It also has a small garden and beautiful tiled stairs leading to the first floor with Morisco arches and vaulted galleries.

Museo Revello de Toro (Revello de Toro Museum)

A permanent exhibition of the works of famous portrait and figurative painter Málaga Felix Revello de Toro with over one hundred oil paintings, sketches and drawings. It is also dedicated to sculptor Pedro de Mena, whose 17th century home and workshop has been restored. It has an interpretation centre with an interactive table and a documentary with a surprise ending.
 

The collection

The museum displays 117 works of the 132 that make up the collection, rotating the other works owing to space restrictions. Felix Revello de Toro is well-known as a portrait painter and for interpreting the feminine figure with seductive elegance.
 
Grouped by themes and techniques an "Intimate Revello" is displayed with his early works, portraits of his family background, still-life or everyday objects. His own self-portrait, and others, such as his mother's, his first wife's or his daughter Carmen's portraits all stand out.
 
In "Female figures" large works where the master's stylistic evolution from the 60s to the early 21st century can be seen .
 
Rooms 5 and 6 contain sketches and drawings by the painter while the exhibition concludes with the work "Sumida en el sueño," one of the pictures the painter loved the most.
 
The museum also has a Pedro de Mena interpretation centre that displays representative 17th century religious imagery. Pedro de Mena's workshop-home was restored to house this museum.
 

The building

The gallery is housed in the workshop-home of 17th century sculptor Pedro de Mena, and is a fine example of the century's domestic architecture. The house has a ground floor and first floor and is organized around a central courtyard with covered galleries, with notable Tuscan marble columns. The original staircase and woodwork is also noteworthy.

Gerald Brenan House

The house where lived  the British writer Gerald Brenan is a cultural

Meeting point that aims to promote the connections between the

Anglo-Saxon artists and the Spanish ones, that is to say, it aims to get

that this house becomes a meeting place for cultures, as well as a place

to think about new ideas.
 

The Gerald Brenan’s House includes a room that has been dedicated

to recreate the atmosphere of the place and its life in Málaga, where

books and photos of the British writer stand out. Initiatives as the association

named Friends of Gerald Brenan’s House have been launched,

in which activities such as competitions of micro-stories are organized.
 

This center in Churriana opened its doors last October 2014, with a

ceremony that was attended by Ian Gibson or Tom Burns Marañón,

among others.
 

Tom Burns Marañón, the journalist and essayist, was responsible for

preparing the first conference dedicated to the figure of Brenan, in

which also Carlos Pranger, Ian Gibson and Alfredo Amestoy took part.
 

Gerald Brenan lived, like so many other people from Málaga, the

battle of Málaga in the Spanish Civil War, more commonly known

as La desbandá (The Stampide). As a result, he published one of

his works: El laberinto español (The Spanish labyrinth).
 

The mortal remains of the British writer are buried in the English

Cemetery of Málaga, which was declared Patrimony of Cultural

Interest. You can visit it to admire its temple, tombs and funerary

monuments of great beauty.

Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares (Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions)

A journey through the history of 19th-century Málaga, its province and folk customs. In this former 17th-century coaching inn we can stroll between carriages drawn by animals, observe forge crafts, baking, fishing or printing. We can learn about wine and oil making and discover the rural world, folklore and popular religion.
 

The collection

Two floors and 19 rooms house this collection aimed at presenting the daily life of Málaga, its customs, popular arts and local crafts. The ground floor focuses on rural areas, while the top storey shows the activities conducted in the central urban area.
 
After crossing the entrance courtyard you enter Room I or the "Stable", whose cobbled floor reminds us of the horse traffic through this area. Carriages, harness, accessories for pack animals and saddles are some pieces that can be seen.
 
In the "Forge" you can see a smithy with some articles made in it, such as braces or brackets for streetlights, being of special interest the characteristic windows bars used in the area. In Room III "The Bakery" we discover everything about bread-making, while Room IV, "Fishing" recreates one of Málaga's great historical industries.

In the "Chimney" you can walk into a kitchen of the period, and then go on into the "Dining Room" with furniture and household items typical of this time. In "Wine" the trades of viticulture and oenology are recovered; in the 19th century, Málaga played a leading role internationally in wine production and commerce.
 
In the same vein, another great local industry, the cultivation and production of oil can be seen in "The oil mill." Now on the top floor we can discover the "bourgeois Customs" with a representation of 19th-century costumes. "The Office", "The Cabinet" or "Bedroom" we complete our vision of how city dwellers lived.
 
To end the visit we shouldn't miss "Folklore", "Ceramics" or "Popular Religion" that will help us understand the life and customs of Málaga's recent history.
 

The building

This is a 17th-century building located in the centre of Málaga, in the old Victoria Inn. The old Inn was purchased in 1974 and restoration began; it was finally inaugurated in 1976.
 
The building dates from the 17th century, when it was used as an inn owned by the daughter of Miguel de Araso, Chamberlain to the Catholic Monarchs, and, in 1621, it was run by the Franciscan community Frailes Mínimos del Convento de la Victoria, and took its present name from them.
 
The floor plan is square with a trapezoid prolongation at the end where the stables were. It has a large central courtyard with galleries on the ground and upper floors, resting on columns covered with Moorish tiles that give a very singular appearance and contribute to the idea that the building may originally have been an old Muslim inn.

The type of construction is characteristic of homes in Lower Andalucía with two floors giving onto courtyards, which somehow combines Moorish and Italianate traditions of the 16th-17th centuries.

Museo Interactivo de la Música de Málaga. (Interactive Music Museum in Málaga)

The interactive Museum of Music (MIMMA) is located in the 18th-century Palacio del Conde Navas. It contains an important collection of musical instruments from around the world and of all ages, many of which can be played. Intended for all audiences, from children and adults, it is an interactive museum where we can experiment: please instead of "please do not touch", the motto is "please play!".
 

The collection

Few museum projects are so original, funny, dynamic and educational as the Interactive Music Museum in Málaga. And, if what we normally find on entering a museum are messages prohibiting us from approaching and, of course touching the exhibits, here is the motto is just the opposite, "please play them".
 
Located in the historic centre of Málaga, the exhibition section has a collection of almost 1,000 pieces, 400 of which make up the permanent exhibition. This is one of the most important private collections in Europe, with instruments from all eras and cultures, carefully compiled by Miguel Ángel Piédrola Orta.
 
But Mimma is a highly interactive museum. In each exhibition room, visitors will find multimedia, interactive and mechanical resources with which to explore a cultural area and establish a dialogue with the exhibition. It is not a case of looking at more or less ancient or curious instruments, but of experiencing different cultures from around the world through their musical instruments.
 
But the museum aims much higher than providing a simple exhibition. It aims to be a living space, where sound envelops visitors and stimulates their senses. A place that offers us the opportunity to experience for ourselves, playing the various instruments available. A universal offer, in which visitors of any age or background, professional or amateur, can approach music, learn, understand and take part in it.
 
Mimma is primarily a cultural space in providing information on the world of music is top priority. That is why the museum continuously promotes cultural theme-based activities. So, concerts, lectures, screenings, master classes and jam sessions all alternate with musical workshops for schools and family activities that take place during the weekends.
 
Visiting the Museo Interactivo de la Música de Málaga, will certainly be an unforgettable experience. Go ahead, please play.
 

The building
 

18th-century mansion is an example of Málaga's Baroque architecture. Some parts, such as the lintel, the grilles, the semi-circular arch or Tuscan columns deserve special mention. It contains the archaeological remains of Arab and Roman walls discovered during the rehabilitation that was completed in 2013.

Other museums and art centres in Malaga:

Archeological Sites of La Araña

Museo Nacional de Aeropuertos y Transporte Aéreo. (National Museum of Airports and Air Transport)

Centro de Interpretación del Castillo de Gibralfaro. (Gibralfaro Castle Interpretation Centre.)

Museo de la Archicofradía de la Esperanza (Museum of the Confraternity of Hope)

Museo de Arte Flamenco. (Flamenco Art Museum) Peña Juan Breva. (Juan Breva Group)

Museo y Basílica de Santa María de la Victoria (Museum and Basilica of Santa María de la Victoria)

Alborania Museum. Maritime Learning Centre

Ecomuseo Lagar de Torrijos. (Lagar de Torrijos Ecomuseum)

Museo del Vino (Wine Museum)

Museum & Tour Málaga Club de Fútbol.

Ars Málaga Bishop’s Palace

Museum Jorge Rando

Museo Taurino de Málaga

Principia. Centro de Ciencia Principia. (Principia Science Centre)

Centre of Interpretation of the Roman Theatre

Sala de Exposiciones Arqueológicas de la Alcazaba. (Archaeological Exhibition Hall of the Alcazaba)

Museo del Cautivo y la Trinidad (Museum of the Captive and the Trinity)

Museo-Tesoro de la Cofradía de la Expiración (Treasure-Museum of the Brotherhood of the Expiration)

Museo de la Cofradía de los Estudiantes (Museum of the Brotherhood of Students)

Museo de la Cofradía del Santo Sepulcro (Museum of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre)

Museo de la Semana Santa de Málaga (Málaga Holy Week Museum)

A city to explore

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