Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Helga de Alvear
Free-admission museum in Cáceres with the contemporary art collection of the gallerist Helga de Alvear, spread across two buildings.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum grew out of the project of the gallerist and collector Helga de Alvear to bring together her contemporary art collection in a centre open to the public. After looking for a home in several cities, the collector chose Cáceres. In 2006 the Fundación Helga de Alvear, a non-profit cultural body, was established, and in 2010 the Centro de Artes Visuales opened in the Casa Grande, a modernist building in the city rehabilitated by the architects Emilio Tuñón and Luis M. Mansilla.
In February 2021 a second newly built building was inaugurated, designed by Tuñón Arquitectos, located in the strip separating the historic centre, a World Heritage Site, from the modern part of the city. The extension considerably increased the exhibition space and allowed the reorganisation of the temporary exhibition rooms, the library, the educational services and the administration. The two buildings are linked by a corridor on the top floor, where the auditorium is located.
The collection brings together more than three thousand works by hundreds of national and international artists and covers painting, sculpture, photography, video and installation. The semi-permanent exhibition includes, among others, Picasso, Louise Bourgeois, Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Robert Motherwell, Antoni Tàpies and Ai Weiwei. The museum also runs a broad programme of mediation and accessibility, with guided tours, workshops and activities for schoolchildren, families and people with disabilities.
Highlights
- Collection of more than 3,000 works of national and international contemporary art
- New building by Tuñón Arquitectos beside the modernist Casa Grande, linked by a corridor on the top floor
- Works by Picasso, Louise Bourgeois, Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Tàpies and Ai Weiwei
- Free admission to the museum and exhibitions
- Free wifi in all rooms and collection content via an app and QR codes
Permanent exhibition
- Colección Helga de Alvear – Semi-permanent exhibition of works from the foundation's collection, with painting, sculpture, photography, video and installation by Spanish and international artists.
- Founded
- 2010
- Operated by
- Fundación Helga de Alvear
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Private or educational group visits are handled by email through the booking service. School visits are free. |
|---|---|
| Guided tour | €5With prior booking; free on Sunday mornings |
Admission to the museum and the exhibitions is free; booking is recommended to guarantee access, although it is not compulsory. The guided tour costs €5 and is free on Sunday mornings. From Wednesday to Saturday there are reduced or free tickets for certain groups, which must be accredited at the access control.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The Camino Llano entrance is fully accessible; the one at Pizarro, 10 has a lift next to the stairs, and the one at Pizarro, 8 has a stairlift operated by staff. A goods lift connects all floors of both buildings, and there are adapted toilets on each floor. Free loan of wheelchairs at reception, an induction loop at the counter, personal induction loops for group guides (with deposit of an identity document), and magnifiers for low vision. Pictograms and high-relief orientation plans beside the lifts. Guide and assistance dogs are admitted. There are activities designed for groups with hearing, visual and intellectual disabilities.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
There is a children's contemporary art workshop for children aged 6 to 12 while adults visit the temporary exhibitions, and free workshops for young people by reservation. Under-10s must be accompanied. Pushchairs are admitted, although some rooms may be difficult, and small pushchairs can be borrowed free of charge; the changing table is on floor 0 of the new building.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Urban bus: lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 40, LC and RC. The Renfe railway station is about 20 minutes' walk away.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no car park of its own; there are public car parks around the city. Bicycles and scooters can be left in the car parks of Plaza Marrón and calle Pizarro.
Entrances on calle Pizarro, 10 (collection) and Camino Llano, s/n (Plaza Marrón).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Lockers
- Wi-Fi
Free wifi without password in all rooms. No café or restaurant, but several options in the surroundings. Bookshop with catalogues and books at reception, and online shop. Free cloakroom and luggage deposit; bags larger than 30 × 40 cm are not admitted. Library and gardens with free access and no ticket required. Rest seats on every floor.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash, tripod or selfie stick is permitted. Professional or media reports require prior permission from the communications department. |
| Good to know | Explanations of the collection and the exhibitions can be heard for free on mobile phones via QR codes on the labels, and the app “Colección Helga de Alvear” is available for Android and iOS. Guided tours are booked on the website. The visit to the collection lasts about 90 minutes, not counting the temporary exhibitions. School visits are free, with a capacity of 30 people. Animals are not admitted, except guide dogs. |
