Gabinet Salvador
Cabinet of curiosities of the Salvador family of apothecaries (17th and 18th centuries) at the Institut Botànic de Barcelona, on Montjuïc.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Gabinet Salvador is a cabinet of curiosities formed between the early 17th century and the mid-19th century by the Salvador family, a dynasty of Barcelona apothecaries and naturalists. They kept the collection in the back room of their pharmacy on calle Ample and enriched it through exchanges of material with naturalists from all over Europe. At first only scholars could see it; from the mid-18th century at the latest, they opened this heritage to researchers, and it is considered the first “museum” open to the public in Barcelona.
Barcelona City Council bought the collection, which entered the Institut Botànic de Barcelona in 1945; another part arrived in 2013. Between 2012 and 2014 the furniture, documents and natural science holdings were restored, and in December 2014 the Generalitat declared the Salvador Collection a Cultural Asset of National Interest. The old polychrome wooden furniture, more than 1,400 books and more than 12,000 documents survive, as well as rocks, minerals and fossils, plants (with the oldest herbarium on the Iberian Peninsula), molluscs and other animals, 197 pharmacy utensils and more than 200 samples of terra sigillata.
Today the cabinet is displayed on the ground floor of the Institut Botànic de Barcelona, a joint centre of the CSIC and the City Council located in the upper part of the Jardí Botànic. The objects are viewed from outside the protective display case, and the visit is included in the admission to the Jardí Botànic.
Highlights
- Oldest herbarium on the Iberian Peninsula
- Original polychrome wooden furniture
- More than 1,400 books and 12,000 historical documents
- Pharmacy utensils and samples of terra sigillata
- Cultural Asset of National Interest since 2014
Permanent exhibition
- Gabinet Salvador – Permanent exhibition of the Salvador family’s cabinet of curiosities, with polychrome furniture, books, herbarium, pharmacy objects and natural science collections from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
- Operated by
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (CSIC–Ajuntament de Barcelona) y Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2.50People aged 16 to 29 and over 65, unemployed people or holders of the reduced pink card, families (with a maximum of two adults and at least one child under 16), holders of the foster family, large family or single-parent family card, holders of the Biblioteques de Barcelona card, and groups of ten or more people. |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Free admission for children under 16. |
| Seniors | €2.50Reduced admission from 65 years. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free with the free pink card or the Generalitat disability accreditation card; the reduced pink card entitles the holder to reduced admission. A companion with a metropolitan companion pass enters free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €2.50 per personGroups of ten or more people with reduced admission. Study group visits during school hours are free with advance booking (+34 932 562 220, Monday to Friday 9:00–13:00, or activmuseuciencies@bcn.cat). |
| Combined ticket Museu de Ciències Naturals + Jardí Botànic | €8Reduced: €4. |
Free admission: First Sunday of every month all day, and every Sunday from 15:00.
The visit to the cabinet is included in the admission to the Jardí Botànic (€5, reduced €2.50). Free admission also for members of ICOM and of the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya, licensed tourist guides on duty, accredited teachers, journalists and holders of the BCN Card or the Gaudir Més Barcelona registration. For individual visits, a second visit is free within six months with the admission ticket validated.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The Jardí Botànic is accessible to people with reduced mobility via paths and ramps; the general access to the site is a ramp with a 10% gradient. In the main building there are two accessible toilets, and at the entrance a tactile model for visually impaired people. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are admitted, and there are reserved parking spaces. Electric scooters for loan are not available at present.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 15 |
|---|
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
The Jardí Botànic ticket offices give out the free “Mochila para naturalistas” (naturalists’ backpack), with suggestions for exploring the garden aimed at the general public and at families with children from 5 years old.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Autobús 13, parada frente al Jardí Botànic
Metro L1 and L3, Plaça Espanya station (about 2.5 km, around 35 minutes on foot). Bus 13 (stop opposite the garden); bus 150 from Plaça Espanya/Maria Cristina to avinguda de l’Estadi Olímpic (5–10 minutes on foot); bus 55, Viver Tres Pins stop (5–10 minutes on foot). Montjuïc Funicular (connected with metro lines L2 and L3), 10–15 minutes on foot. Bus Turístic, red route (from 15 April to 25 September).
By car
Parking available
The nearest car park is next to the garden entrance.
- Accessible parking
On Barça match days it is recommended to arrive on foot or by public transport.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Lockers
At the garden ticket offices there is a shop with botany and natural science products, and a left-luggage service.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The cabinet’s pieces are viewed from outside the glass that protects them; for safety and conservation reasons, entry into the space is not allowed. The cabinet is on the ground floor of the Institut Botànic de Barcelona. |
