Museo Extremeño e Iberoamericano de Arte Contemporáneo
Contemporary art museum in Badajoz, housed in a former prison, with works by Spanish, Portuguese and Ibero-American artists and free admission.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The MEIAC opened in May 1995 with a vocation linked to its geographical position: to bring together in one collection Extremaduran, Peninsular and Ibero-American art. Its creation responded to the wish to recover scattered heritage, to open a space for cultural relations with Portugal and to strengthen Extremadura's historical ties with Latin America.
The museum occupies the site of the former Badajoz prison, designed in 1941 and completed in 1958 following the penitentiary model of a central rotunda and radial wings, inspired by Bentham's panopticon. The prison had itself been built on the grounds of an earlier 17th-century military bastion, the Fuerte de Pardaleras, which formed part of the city's bastioned defensive system.
Its holdings, of around 1,500 works by Spanish, Portuguese and Ibero-American artists, reflect the changes in aesthetics and paradigm of recent decades. In addition to the exhibition rooms, the centre has a library, a documentation centre, an assembly hall and gardens.
Highlights
- Collection of Spanish, Portuguese and Ibero-American contemporary art
- Former Badajoz prison converted into a museum
- Works by Wolf Vostell, Santiago Sierra, Los Carpinteros, Juan Uslé and Guillermo Kuitca
- Library, documentation centre and gardens
- Free admission and free guided visit on Wednesdays
Permanent exhibition
- Colección MEIAC – A selection of works from the museum's holdings showing the changes in aesthetics and paradigm since it opened in 1995, with artists from Spain, Portugal and Ibero-America.
- Founded
- 1995
- Operated by
- Junta de Extremadura (Consejería de Cultura, Turismo y Deportes)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- 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
The museum has a lift, a toilet and ramps that make the visit easier for people with disabilities. Animals are not admitted, except guide dogs.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
City bus lines 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The Renfe station is on avenida de Carolina Coronado, s/n.
By car
The nearest car park is in the Plaza de Conquistadores.
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Coat check
Café, library and assembly hall. Bulky or dangerous items (large handbags, umbrellas, objects with points) must be left at the reception cloakroom. Food, drink and smoking are not permitted inside.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Free guided visit every Wednesday at 12:00. Booked visits for groups (maximum 30 people, lasting about one hour) take place Tuesday to Friday mornings and require advance booking on +34 924 013 068; at weekends, check with the museum. |
