Biblioteca Museu Víctor Balaguer

About the museum

The Biblioteca Museu Víctor Balaguer opened on 26 October 1884 in Vilanova i la Geltrú. It was created by the writer and politician Víctor Balaguer, who had no children and bequeathed his heritage to found a cultural institution combining a library and a museum based on his collections. He died in Madrid in 1901, and his remains rest in the town's cemetery.

The master builder Jeroni Granell designed the building as a classical temple with a central dome and two symmetrical wings, one for the library and one for the museum. It was one of the first buildings in Catalonia constructed from scratch to display collections to the public. The façade bears the motto “Surge et Ambula”, and its sgraffito shows allegorical scenes of art, literature and science.

The collection starts from the books and objects brought together by Balaguer and has been expanded by numerous donations since the opening. It includes a picture gallery with 19th-century Catalan art, a selection of works from the historic deposit of the Museo del Prado, an Egyptian collection from the donation of Eduard Toda in 1886, archaeology and ethnology, decorative arts, Modernisme and noucentisme, sculpture and contemporary art.

Highlights

• Picture gallery with 19th-century Catalan art
• Works from the historic deposit of the Museo del Prado (Ribera, Murillo, El Greco)
• Egyptian collection with the mummy of a five-year-old child
• Modernist legacy of Rusiñol, Casas, Nonell and Mir
• Neoclassical building of 1884 with a heritage library

Permanent exhibitions

• Pinacoteca – Room with the founding collection of painting and sculpture, with outstanding works of 19th-century Catalan art, presented as a Fine Arts salon of the period.
• La presencia del Prado – Permanent selection of works from the historic deposit of the Museo Nacional del Prado, with Ribera, Murillo, El Greco, Maíno and Brueghel.
• Colección egipcia – Funerary and religious objects donated by Eduard Toda in 1886, including amulets, ushabtis, masks and the mummified body of a child.

Founded

1884

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every Thursday from 19:00 to 21:00 and the first Sunday of each month.

Also free for children under 3, members of ICOM, teachers and holders of a disability card, with accreditation.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The whole museum is accessible for people with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

The education service offers activities for Infant, Primary, Secondary and Baccalaureate levels, adapted to age and curriculum.

Getting there & parking

By car, via the C-32 (exit 26 from Barcelona and exit 21 from Tarragona), the C-31 or the AP-7 (exit 29 from Barcelona and exit 30 from Tarragona and Lleida), then the C-15.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The heritage library on the ground floor and the gardens of the Casa de Santa Teresa are available for hire. Requests are sent to informacio@victorbalaguer.cat, stating the use, dates and number of attendees.

Plan your visit