Museo de La Rioja
Museum of archaeology, history and art housed in the Palacio de Espartero in Logroño, with free admission.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum has its origins in the 19th century. Following the Mendizábal laws on ecclesiastical disentailment, the Provincial Commission of Monuments of Logroño gathered the property of suppressed convents and religious orders, and in 1892 the Museo de la Provincia opened to the public in premises of the Beneficencia Provincial. At the same time there was a Museo de Logroño, made up of sculpture casts and paintings deposited by the Museo del Prado and drawn from the National Exhibitions of Fine Arts.
On 11 July 1963 a decree created the Museo de Logroño, which merged the holdings of both institutions. After the province changed its name, it became the Museo de La Rioja. It opened to the public in December 1971.
Its seat is a palace built in the mid-18th century by Pedro Ruiz de la Porta, known as the Palacio de Espartero because General Baldomero Espartero lived there after retiring from politics in 1856. Over time the building served as an episcopal palace, an almshouse, a foundling home and the seat of various institutions, before becoming a museum. Today the collection traces the history of La Rioja from prehistory to the contemporary era.
Highlights
- Collection spanning prehistory to the present, spread over three floors
- Sections on pre-Roman archaeology and Romanisation
- Collections of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period
- 19th-century painting and a folk culture section
- Housed in the Palacio de Espartero, an 18th-century building
- Free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- Planta 1: Prehistoria, Prerromanos y Romanización – First part of the permanent collection tour, devoted to prehistory, the pre-Roman world and the Roman era in La Rioja.
- Planta 2: Edad Media y Edad Moderna – Permanent collection room covering the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period.
- Planta 3: Cultura popular y pintura del siglo XIX – Top floor of the tour, with the folk culture section and a selection of 19th-century painting.
- Founded
- 1963
- Operated by
- Gobierno de La Rioja (Servicio de Museos y Exposiciones de La Rioja)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission, in application of Article 70.1 of the Law on Cultural, Historical and Artistic Heritage of La Rioja.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum's Educational Department organises workshops and activities for groups, upon prior request.
Getting there & parking
The museum is located at calle San Agustín, 19, in Logroño.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop with publications, catalogues, guides, educational sheets and reproductions; open Monday to Saturday, 10:00–14:00 and 16:00–21:00, and Sundays and public holidays, 10:00–14:00.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Groups can request a guided commentary or educational support, always by prior appointment. Access to educational activities and workshops requires a prior request to the museum's Educational Department (DEAC) by the group leaders. |
