MACVAC. Museu d’Art Contemporani Vicente Aguilera Cerni de Vilafamés

About the museum

The museum grew out of an idea of the art critic Vicente Aguilera Cerni, who visited Vilafamés in 1968 and conceived a contemporary art museum there. Aguilera had received the International Critics’ Prize at the Venice Biennale in 1958, and he had the support of the town’s mayor. The museum was founded on 28 August 1969, opened in its current premises in 1972 and was the first contemporary art museum in the Valencian territory.

It is located in the Palau del Batlle, a 15th-century Gothic civil building in the old town of Vilafamés, a locality declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Property of Cultural Interest). It has a broad ashlar façade with a round-arched doorway, paired Gothic windows and an upper gallery of small windows; the courtyard contains a cistern, a washhouse and a separate tower.

The collection exceeds a thousand works by leading artists of the national and international avant-garde. It was built up through donations and loans from the artists themselves, without purchases, a system that keeps the collection dynamic and is one of the museum’s defining features.

Highlights

• Palau del Batlle, a 15th-century Gothic civil palace
• More than a thousand contemporary art works donated or loaned by artists
• First contemporary art museum in the Valencian territory
• Daily guided visits from Tuesday to Sunday, also in Valencian and English
• Historic courtyard with a cistern, washhouse and tower

Permanent exhibition

• Colección permanente del MACVAC – More than a thousand works by leading national and international avant-garde artists, assembled through donations and loans from the artists themselves.

Founded

1969

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

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

Pets are not admitted, except guide dogs.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

From Valencia take the A-7/E-15 and the CV-10 to exit 38 towards Vilafamés (CV-15).

Amenities & dining

• Lockers

Backpacks, bags and umbrellas are left at the ticket office. Eating and drinking are only allowed in the museum courtyard.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

The museum rents out its courtyard to companies, individuals and organisations for social, cultural and business events.

Plan your visit