This unique museum traces Catalonia’s origins right back to the earliest civillisations to be discovered in this territory, exploring the history and evolution of what we now call Catalonia. Exhibitions take us back to the Paleolithic era, when homus erectus walked these lands 450,000 years ago. Agricultural societies emerged in the Neolithic era, and new cultures began to emerge. Constant influences swept across the landscape, from the Greeks and Romans to the Phoenician and Muslim armies.
The word “Catalonia” was first used in the 12th century, at the time when the Catalan language and identity was being consolidated. In the 18th century, the industrial revolution transformed the social and economic structures. Exhibitions recount the distinct phases that have brought Catalonia to where it is today, passing through the Spanish Civil War and centuries of political turmoil.
This is a fascinating museum to visit, and you’ll leave with a deeper understanding not only of Catalonia,but of the anthropological evolution of Western Europe. Interactive exhibits make this an ideal place to come with kids.
Address:
Pl. de Pau Vila, 3 (Palau de Mar)
Area:
Barceloneta
Telephone:
93 225 47 00
Email:
mhc.cultura@gencat.cat
Open:
Tues-Sat 10am to 7pm, Weds 10am to 8pm, Sundays and public holidays 10am to 2.30pm.
Mon closed (except public holidays).
Closed on 25 and 26 Dec and 1 and 6 Jan.
Website:
www.en.mhcat.cat
How to get there:
metro L4 Barceloneta
Where:
