The museums of Valencia are worth visiting. They reflect all periods of the city’s development: from its founding to the present day. The exhibitions are updated, and you can visit the same center several times. The administration uses technological advancements in organizing presentations: events are held interactively. Children of all ages and their parents will surely find something to their liking.
Prince Felipe Science Museum
This is the largest science museum in Europe. It occupies an area of over 26,000 square meters. The building’s design is fascinating: it resembles both the body of a deep-sea fish and an alien ship. It is part of the complex called the City of Arts and Sciences. The exhibitions tell the history of our planet from ancient times to the present day. The latest scientific achievements are showcased. All exhibited items are interactive, allowing visitors to see real scenarios.
But that’s not all. Visitors participate in quests that are equally interesting for children of all ages and their parents. Physical and chemical experiments are conducted in the laboratories, always waiting for active participants. You can also relax in the cinema hall, where films about the Earth’s history are shown. Notably, all exhibited items can be touched: it’s one of the conditions for participating in the tours.
Museum of Fine Arts
The museum is located in the Palace of Pius V. This building was constructed in the 16th-17th centuries. The collections have been accumulating for 250 years and deserve admiration! Tourists can explore permanent and thematic exhibitions.
Here are presented:
- Paintings by Goya, Velázquez, Sorolla, Ribera, El Greco
- Sculptures
- Engravings, drawings
Interestingly, the museum hosts a restaurant serving national cuisine. Weary visitors can rest and enjoy culinary masterpieces.
Ceramics Museum
The exhibition is located in a mansion that once belonged to the Dos Aguas family. It was built in the 15th century. This building is an architectural monument, so it’s worth starting the ceramics exhibition from the outside. In the 15th century, the merchants of the Rabassa family were among the first wealthy people in the country. They initially made their capital through trade and later supplemented it with real estate transactions. They were subsequently granted the title of Marquises.
Such a family spared no expense and built a mansion in the Gothic style in the 15th century. It comprised three houses around a patio and had a tower. In the 18th century, the 3rd Marquess of Dos Aguas reconstructed the building. Now it has a square profile with towers at the corners. The central portal is particularly noteworthy, made in the late Baroque style. The facade was painted with frescoes, but they have not survived.
In the mid-20th century, the Italian government purchased the mansion and housed a state ceramics museum in it. This national craft can tell the story of the country’s development and the people’s customs. The exhibition includes unique samples. The display is complemented by interior items: furniture, tapestries, paintings, dishes, and kitchen utensils.
Valencia History Museum
Tourists are primarily attracted by the unusual building. It is the former water reservoir management building, which supplied the city with drinking water. It was built in 1850. In 1998, city authorities restored the premises and dedicated them to hosting temporary and permanent exhibitions. The combination of traditional and modern technologies helps visitors fully immerse themselves in history. Exhibitions are supplemented with interactive screens and films on the required topics. Tourists don’t just passively immerse themselves in the era: they participate in the events described on the stand.
The exhibitions cover specific periods in the city’s history:
- Roman rule: artifacts from 138 BCE to 711 CE.
- Muslim conquest and Moorish rule: items dated from 711 to 1238.
- Medieval period: items from 1238 to 1519.
- Early Christianization: artifacts from 1519 to 1707.
- Bourbon dynasty rule: items from 1707 to 1833.
- Economic boom: items from 1833 to 1917.
- Modern history: development from 1917 to 1975.
- Contemporary history.
The premises are rationally planned: some can host guests and hold thematic seminars, lectures, and master classes.
IVAM – Institute of Modern Art
The Institute of Modern Art in Valencia boasts an impressive permanent exhibition. It is housed on two floors and consists of 11,000 items.
Visitors can explore:
- Paintings by famous artists such as Pablo Picasso, Julio González, and Joaquín Sorolla. These exhibitions are open year-round.
- Drawings, photographs, sculptures. These exhibitions periodically change and update.
- Various planned events. The center’s staff offers thematic activities for tourists. Literature readings, lectures on artistic and scientific topics are organized in the halls.
- New works by Spanish authors. Valencian writers have the opportunity to present their works.
- Retro films. The institute’s cinema often organizes screenings.
- Unique books and documents. The center has a library with a reading room, where rare editions can be seen. The library’s collection exceeds 47,000 items.
The institute houses a unique exhibit—a fragment of the fortress wall that once surrounded the city. It was discovered during the building’s construction and seamlessly integrated into the ensemble.
Fallas Museum
This exhibition was formed quite unexpectedly. Valencia hosts an annual carnival ending with the burning of a monument—the Fallas. These grotesque compositions are displayed at all city intersections, mocking contemporary societal vices. The burning takes place on Saint Joseph’s Day: on the night of March 19, all Fallas burn. This process has a moral significance: society rids itself of its flaws.
But one monument remains. The citizens decide which one by popular vote. The Fallas, which escapes the fate of other sculptures, is transported to the museum. Therefore, any visitor not participating in the carnival can experience this colorful event. Symbolically, the exhibition is located in a monastery near the City of Arts and Sciences.
Almoina Archaeological Center
This unique underground center allows visitors to touch Valencia’s history literally:
- Descending a few dozen meters, tourists plunge into the city’s founding times when it was called Valentia. The remains of residential houses, shops, the temple of Asclepius, and baths are well-preserved. Subsequently, in 75 CE, Pompey destroyed the city. But a century later, Valencia was rebuilt. This period is reminded by stone-paved roads, a courtroom, and the central square with column fragments.
- The Christianization period left behind a baptismal font, the altar of Saint Vincent’s Church, the city’s patron.
- Moorish rule brought remnants of a paved inner courtyard with a central fountain.
After the Muslims were expelled and the Christians returned, a building called “La Almoina” was erected on the modern center’s site. It served as a shelter for the poorest residents.
MuVIM – Museum of Enlightenment and Modernity
MuVIM is a center created for those who think about how to think. The building itself sets the tone: it is uncomfortable, with a gray concrete floor and almost unfinished walls. These modernist ideas belong to the project’s author—Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra. According to his concept, nothing should predispose the visitor to positive perception. Visitors should understand that thinking is a complex process.
The central place in the exhibition is given to what is now called advertising. World development is reflected through comics, films, photographs—described by the media. A non-traditional guide organizes the journey through the ages: visitors are accompanied by an actor dressed in period costume. The tourist will look through Galileo Galilei’s telescope, listen to philosophical disputes of medieval monks, visit a 17th-century secular salon, and feel the revolutionary spirit of Paris.
The most significant events of the 20th century are also reflected in the center. After such a rich journey, tourists begin to perceive long-familiar historical events differently. MuVIM is an interesting center for children and adults.
Natural History Museum at the University of Valencia
Continuous research work is conducted here. Professors and students bring invaluable artifacts from scientific expeditions. For many years, they were simply stored in the institution’s repositories, but now the items are on display for all to see. The collection represents several scientific sections: paleontology, geology, zoology, and botany. The university administration spent much effort ensuring the required preservation of the finds. Now, on the Burjassot campus, all conditions are created not only for the collection’s preservation but also for its unobstructed viewing.
Visitors will see:
- A giant meteorite formed 4.6 billion years ago. It weighs over 30 kg.
- Skeletons of prehistoric animals discovered during expeditions.
- Imprints left by a giant prehistoric turtle. They were found during work in the municipality of Domeno.
- Fragments of a prehistoric human skeleton that lived in modern Spain.
- Stuffed rare animals and extinct species.
- The skeleton of a flying reptile—a pterodactyl.
The exhibition covers an area of over 900 square meters. Modern technologies are also used. Visitors are given glasses that model virtual reality at the entrance, allowing them to travel through time.
Museum of Prehistory and Ethnology
This museum presents artifacts describing the period of the emergence and development of Homo sapiens. Visitors have the opportunity to study:
- Ancient dishes, kitchen utensils, furniture.
- The first coins and jewelry. Visitors will see a complete exhibition of the history of money in Valencia and Spain.
- Agricultural tools. A reconstructed peasant hut is of particular interest.
All the items were found in the province of Valencia. The exhibition is comprehensive and interesting for studying the lives of people who inhabited this area. Anthropologists and those interested in anthropology and ethnography will especially appreciate the quality of the presented artifacts. The exhibits are organized by periods, and the collection is extensive and comprehensive.
Military Museum
All exhibitions in the center are dedicated to the Spanish army. They are housed in 22 halls. Visitors can explore:
- Firearms and cold weapons, ammunition, uniforms, and awards.
- Paintings on military themes.
- Miniatures reproducing important battles for Spain.
No period in the country’s history is overlooked. Visitors can examine panoramas of battles in which Spaniards participated, exhibitions dedicated to Franco’s rule, and artifacts from World War II. The exhibits will be interesting even to visitors far from military matters.
Patriarch Museum
The complex of buildings housing the Patriarch Museum was built by Juan de Ribera in the 16th century. Initially intended as a seminary for training priests during the Counter-Reformation, Ribera was a controversial historical figure: he simultaneously held the secular title of viceroy, the spiritual title of Archbishop of Valencia, and Patriarch of Antioch. Ribera was a collector, and the seminary gradually accumulated many art items, mainly paintings and sculptures.
Subsequently, the exhibition became public, and the center was named in honor of the Patriarch. Tourists can view paintings by El Greco, Morales, and Ribalta. There are also church relics: a boxwood cross made on Athos and Thomas More’s last manuscript, written while he was imprisoned before his execution.
Toy Soldier Museum
The first visitors saw the exhibition in 2017. It was based on a private collection of toy soldiers belonging to Álvaro Joguer Jimenez. The exhibition now consists of 95,000 items. The museum’s creator did not just place the figures on a pedestal: he created a miniature theater of military actions.
Here you can see:
- The Battle of Austerlitz, with French, Russian, and Austrian armies in battle formation, supply wagons, sutlers, and medical tents in the background.
- The legendary Battle of Gaugamela, known to schoolchildren from history lessons, with the armies of Alexander the Great and Darius III facing each other.
- A large-scale installation of the Battle of Almansa, involving 9,000 toy soldiers.
- The defense of a medieval fortress, vividly depicting the battle scene.
- Parades of various world armies, with the tiniest details of soldiers’ and officers’ uniforms.
- Scenes of prehistoric human hunting, ritual dances of Native Americans, battles of prehistoric reptiles, and scenes of military life, depicting towns with shops, transport, and peaceful residents.
To give visitors an idea of the intricate process of making toy soldiers, there is a stand with tools. Small soldiers are created using quite ordinary items. Those interested can purchase collectible soldiers in the museum shop.
Bombas Gens Cultural Center
The center is located on the site of a factory that produced hydraulic pumps. After renovation, the factory premises are used for:
- Workshops and lectures
- Photography exhibitions reflecting the factory’s and Valencia’s history
- Exhibitions of contemporary artists’ paintings
Notably, the factory’s architecture is largely preserved. Visitors immerse themselves in the factory world of the past century. The center also features a trendy restaurant with signature dishes from the chef.
Bancaja Cultural Center
Exhibitions are held in two buildings, with both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The central hall is dedicated to paintings by Joaquín Sorolla, while other exhibitions change periodically. A quick tour takes 2-3 hours. The building itself is interesting: three floors decorated with Baroque elements. The center hosts lectures, presentations, and seminars, but photography is not allowed inside. Impressions vary: some tourists are dissatisfied, while others enjoy it, depending on personal tastes and preferences.
Lladro Porcelain Factory
Lladro is now a world-famous brand of porcelain. In 1953, three brothers started a regular figurine production. The workshop was at home, using the kitchen oven for firing. Today, the factory operates at full capacity, with a shop and museum. The premises are small, so no more than 10 people can visit the exhibition simultaneously. The tour begins with a film showing the stages of creating the workshop and the technological process’s features. The production is notably manual, with minimal mechanization and automation.
Most operations are done by hand, ensuring the uniqueness of the figurines, with no two alike. The factory’s council reviews and approves designs before production. A model is made, followed by a mold for casting. The mechanization ends here. The porcelain mass is poured into the mold, and after setting, the parts are removed, assembled with porcelain mass, and polished. Small details are made separately, a meticulous process. Painting is done by hand, with the colors appearing after firing. Lladro figurines are known for their abundance of flowers, each petal handmade from rolled porcelain dough, painted, and assembled into bouquets. Once the series is completed, the molds are destroyed, making reproduction impossible and increasing the collection’s value. The Lladro shop offers product samples and guarantees a free replacement if a figurine breaks within a year of purchase. Visits to the porcelain factory are only possible with an organized group, and tours can be booked on the official website.
Bullfighting Museum
This museum was established in 1929, based on private collections by Luis Peyro and bullfighter José Badila. The exhibition is near the bullfighting arena, where visitors can feel the intense atmosphere. The halls display all the items used in bullfighting, accompanied by an audio guide explaining each exhibit. One hall presents the entire bullfighting ceremony, with a central bull ready to fight. The setting emphasizes the seriousness of the upcoming battle, with the bullfighter’s knowledge of bulls’ behavior and physical training crucial for winning and delivering a memorable show. The audio recording immerses visitors in the world of bullfighting, capturing its essence.
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