Museo do Pobo Galego

About the museum

The Museo do Pobo Galego was founded in 1976 as an association (Padroado), with the aim of researching, conserving and disseminating Galician culture and creating a museum in the service of that goal. It carries on the spirit of the Seminario de Estudos Galegos, which in 1930 had set up a room in the Colexio de Fonseca in Santiago with archaeological, anthropological and contemporary art collections, and whose activity was banned after the military coup.

The first rooms opened in October 1977 in the former convent of San Domingos de Bonaval, a monumental complex that the Santiago de Compostela city council ceded to the museum. The collection began with three rooms devoted to pottery, weaving and basketry, formed with pieces contributed by the founders and bought from craftspeople from all over Galicia.

Over the years other areas were added, such as the sea, the countryside, trades, music, costume, architecture and the history of Galicia. Today the collection exceeds 15,000 pieces, almost all everyday objects, of which only about 15% is shown in the permanent galleries. Since 1993 the Xunta de Galicia has recognised it as the head of the network of Galician anthropological museums, and in 2012 it declared its library of special interest to Galicia. The building was extended by some 1,600 m², with a high-capacity lift and a vertical staircase linking all floors; its triple helical stone staircase also stands out.

Highlights

• Collection of around 15,000 pieces of everyday Galician life
• Triple helical stone staircase of the former convent
• Rooms devoted to the sea, the countryside and traditional trades
• Pottery, weaving and basketry rooms, the oldest in the museum
• Library and archive specialising in Galician culture

Permanent exhibition

• Salas permanentes – Route through traditional Galician culture, with rooms devoted to the sea, the countryside, trades, music, costume, pottery, weaving, basketry, architecture and the history of Galicia.

Founded

1977

Operated by

Padroado do Museo do Pobo Galego (asociación)

Director

Lois Ladra

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every Sunday; 18 May (International Museum Day); 25 July (Día Nacional de Galicia); 29 October (museum anniversary).

Free admission also for museum members (their companions pay €3.50), for unemployed people and for the temporary exhibitions. Tickets can be bought online.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• 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
• Audio description: no information

The museum has a high-capacity lift that links all floors. The church of San Domingos de Bonaval and the Panteón de Galegas e Galegos Ilustres do not have step-free access for people with reduced mobility. For questions about access you can call +34 981 583 620. There are easy-read guides to some contents and a pictogram guide to the sea room.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

For family visits there is a discovery game, “Coscobellos ao cesto”, free to download, and a puzzle for an older audience, “Contidos en Anacos”. The museum also runs educational and family activities.

Getting there & parking

The museum recommends arriving on foot or by bicycle wherever possible; you can also come by car or by urban bus (link to the lines on its website).

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit