What to do and see in Tarragona, Catalonia: The Best Museums

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Welcome to this noble city of Tarraco, provincial capital of the Roman Empire! Adjacent to the Cathedral cloister and garden, this beautiful art gallery is definitely worth stopping by, if only to see its amazingly preserved medieval vault ceiling and ancient stone walls. The gallery´s charming director, Marta Cervino, will proudly show you an elegant collection of ceramics, glass compositions and other magnificent works of art by some of Tarragona´s finest contemporary artisans and artists. Enjoy a truly rewarding moment surrounded by amazing creations inspired by the city´s romanesque, medieval and gothic past.

The Museum of Modern Art was founded by the Provincial Council of Tarragona in 1976 to promote the study and knowledge of modern and contemporary art and, likewise, to preserve, display and share its artistic heritage. To this end, a museum was set up in the old quarter of Tarragona with a library, a documentation centre and a photographic archive. The building that houses the museum is the result of joining three 18th-century houses. It was renovated by the architect Jaume Mutllo and the building as we know it today, fully equipped and restored, was opened to the public in 1991. In 2008 the Museum of Modern Art shall be updating its permanent display with a new museological project that will add a whole new didactic dimension to the presentation of the collections. To bring art closer to children and young people, the Pedagogical Service of the Museum of Modern Art provides guided tours for school parties (minimum age three years old) by appointment. The Pedagogical Service extends the range of its services every year in an attempt to involve the teaching community in transmitting knowledge about modern and contemporary art.

The Early Christian Necropolis of Tarragona is one of the best-known and best preserved late Roman (3rd-5th centuries AD) cemeteries in the Roman Empire. A visit to it immerses you in the evocative world of the dead –as well as of life– some 1,500 years ago in Tarraco. Thanks to archaeology, we can get to know the people who lived in ancient Tarraco. What were their names? What work did they do? How long did they live? What were their beliefs? In short, we have an open door to understanding what life was like in Roman times.