MUSEUMS

Top 10

Music from around the world, art in every form, stories from ancient Rome, curiosities and legends, and even great treasures. All of these experiences await you in the museums of the Region of Murcia; prepare yourself to discover them.

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MUSEUMS

IMAGERY

The Salzillo Museum is the most important museum in the city of Murcia. Located in a space which combines both the modernity of a 20th Century building with the Barroque style of the 16th Century Iglesia de Jesús, it hosts the most complete and important collection from this wonderful Murcian sculptor. The Pasos de Semana Santa (scenes of the Passion of Christ) is just as important as La Última Cena (The Last Supper) or La Oración del Huerto (Christ's prayer in the garden), the famous 556 piece nativity scene entrusted to the artist by the marquis of Riquelme, as well as an interesting collection of original sketches which stand out among the exhibits.

02

MUSEUMS

AQUATIC TREASURE

The National Museum of Sub-Aquatic Archaeology, ARQUA, is home to the famous treasure found within the frigate Nuestra Señora de la Mercedes, which was extracted from the seabed by the treasure hunting team Odyssey. The booty consists of no more and no less than 570,000 18th and 19th Century gold and silver coins. Although they might not be considered quite so high profile, but equally as valuable, find many other treasures here. Why not go and discover these at your own pace so you can finish your visit with a trip to one of the restaurants found in the port or in the fishing quarter of Santa Lucía?

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MUSEUMS

CLOISTER LIFE

Found in Murcia's centrally located Avenida Alfonso X el Sabio, the emblematic Monasterio de Clausura de Santa Clara La Realpublicly displays the best collection of Islamic art in the region, and the rich historical and artistic heritage of the nuns of St. Clare. The pieces in the collection are of great interest as much for their antiquity, some deriving from the 11th Century, as for their variety of styles; they range from the Islamic period to the Baroque. The monastery is a haven of peace, silence and seclusion found right in the very heart of the city.

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MUSEUMS

LIFE IN ROME

The Roman Theatre Museum is undoubtedly the most recognised symbol of the city of Cartagena. It is a fascinating architectural complex designed by Rafael Moneo within which each room is more spectacular than the last. It combines the Pascual Riquelme Palace, the Santa Maria la Vieja Church and, as you reach the final corridor and come to the most impressive stop of the tour, the Roman Theatre. Did you know? The Carthago Nova theatre, built by Emperor Augusto in the first Century BC, was in fact only discovered in 1990.

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MUSEUMS

COLOURFUL MUSIC

In the Barranda Museum of Ethnic Music you can find around 1,000 musical instruments of all periods and continents. Despite being located in the Caravacan village of Barranda which has less than 900 inhabitants, and built on the remains of a 19th Century flour mill, this museum would be a delight to any capital city worldwide.

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MUSEUMS

MODERNISM

Within Don Pepe Marsilla House Museum in Bullas you will find that time has frozen still to the year 1900. The frescoes, trompe l'oeil, and other modernist features of the residential wing compete to be just as spectacular as the working wing and winery. Visit the museum as part of the Bullas wine tour, or, if you prefer to take your time and visit independently, pre book a visit directly with the Wine Museum.

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MUSEUMS

CRAFTMANSHIP AND EMBROIDERY

Fancy an alternative way of experiencing the magic of the Holy Week? Get to know the embroidery museums of the Azul, Blanco, Encarnado and Morado brotherhoods first hand and all year round,the works of art that Lorca's embroiderers create with their bare hands, and relive the greatest moments of this incredible celebration through the brotherhoods' audio visuals.

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MUSEUMS

A UNIVERSAL ARTIST

In Blanca, in the heart of Ricote Valley, find the Pedro Cano Museum home to a collection of works from this brilliant Murcian artist. The space, in which a total of 2000 drawings are exhibited, will undoubtedly pleasantly surprise you, an unexpected delight for lovers of beauty, peace and equality.

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MUSEUMS

SACRED RELIC

The Museo de la Santa y Vera Cruz (The Holy True Cross Museum) is located inside the Caravaca's Basilica and is home to invaluable metal work and paintings, such as 16th Century oil works. It also contains original pieces from Hernando de los Llanos, a scholar of Leonardo de Vinci and Rafael Tegeo, and undoubtedly one of the best portrait painters of the 19th Century. The museum also boasts a range of gold and silver-smith work such as the Custodia-Ostensorio de la Cruz and the Casulla de Chirimos, as well as visits to its dungeon!

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MUSEUMS

CONTEMPORARY ART

An emblem of the area of Mula, La Casa Pintada, a beautiful palacial home constructed in the year 1770, is nowadays referred to as the Centro de Interpretación del Arte Contemporáneo (Centre of Interpretation and Contemporary Art) in which more than 150 pieces, both sculptures and paintings from the famous local artist Cristóbal Gabarrón, are displayed. The building has a typical Spanish Levante style with a square shaped floor plan based over 3 storeys, a central tower, and a highly recommendable winery.

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