Museo Pablo Gargallo

About the museum

The Museo Pablo Gargallo came about through an agreement between Pierrette Gargallo, the sculptor's daughter, and Zaragoza City Council. The founding contract was signed on 19 May 1982: the heirs ceded works and documentation by the artist, and the council undertook to restore the Palacio de Argillo to house them. In 1984 it was established as a municipal service under direct management, and it opened on 8 July 1985 as the city's first municipal museum.

The building is a Baroque palace erected between 1659 and 1661 as an extension of the houses of Francisco Sanz de Cortés. It was named Argillo in 1837, was the seat of the Colegio de San Felipe for nearly a century and then of the ONCE, and was declared a National Monument in 1943. The city council bought it in 1977 and restored it between 1983 and 1985; it was later extended with an annexe.

The collection brings together sculptures, cartons, drawings, prints and jewellery from all stages of Gargallo's career, and has grown through donations from the family and municipal purchases. The museum also organises temporary exhibitions and educational activities on modern and contemporary sculpture. It is currently closed for improvement works to the facilities and accessibility.

Highlights

• Gran bailarina (1929), one of the artist's best-known cartons
• Gran Profeta (1933), Gargallo's emblematic sculpture
• Kiki de Montparnasse (1928)
• Collection of sculptures, drawings, prints and jewellery from all stages of the artist's career
• Palacio de Argillo, a 17th-century Baroque palace

Permanent exhibition

• Colección permanente – Sculptures, cartons, drawings, prints and jewellery by Pablo Gargallo, arranged by creative stages, together with a display of the casting process of a sculpture.

Founded

1982

Operated by

Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of each month; 29 January (San Valero); 23 April (San Jorge); 18 May (International Museum Day); 12 October (Día del Pilar)

Free admission also for unemployed people, teaching staff in formal education, practising journalists, members of ICOM, ICOMOS and the Asociación de Críticos de Arte, and young people in the Proyecto Zaragoza 16. Groups of at least 15 people not attached to educational centres pay the reduced rate of €3 per person.

Accessibility

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

Step-free entrance and a fully accessible route for people with reduced mobility, with wide spaces, an information desk at an adapted height and resting benches. The lift has Braille buttons, and the accessible toilets are on the ground floor. There are induction loops at reception, in the audiovisual room and in the assembly hall; the audiovisuals have subtitles and a Spanish Sign Language version, and the audio guides include audio description.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities

The museum has a children's audio guide, a baby-changing facility, a room for educational activities and a specific offer for families.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check

Shop and left-luggage on the ground floor.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit