Museo Vostell-Malpartida
Contemporary art museum of Fluxus and happening in the former wool-washing site of Los Barruecos, with outdoor works in a natural setting.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was founded in October 1976 by the Hispano-German artist Wolf Vostell (1932–1998), a pioneer of video art and the happening in Europe and a founding member of Fluxus. Vostell, linked to Extremadura through his marriage to Mercedes Guardado, saw in the Los Barruecos site, near Malpartida de Cáceres, a work of art created by nature, and conceived it as a meeting place between contemporary art, life and landscape. The first gesture was his sculpture “VOAEX. Viaje de (H)Ormigón por la Alta Extremadura”, placed outdoors on 30 October 1976, the origin of a museum without walls.
The main venue occupies the former wool-washing site, a group of 18th-century buildings linked to the transhumance of the Mesta and used until the 19th century, set among large granite blocks and a pond. Its halls, the mill and the waterwheel room, with remains of the washing machinery, have been adapted as exhibition spaces, concert venues and workshops. The inaugural collection, formed by works of Wolf and Mercedes Vostell, was presented in 1994, and in 1999 an interpretation centre was opened, dedicated to the vías pecuarias (traditional drove roads) and the history of the wool-washing site.
The permanent collection brings together the Wolf and Mercedes Vostell collection, the Fluxus collection donated by the Italian publisher Gino Di Maggio and a collection of Spanish, Portuguese and Polish conceptual artists. The museum also keeps the Archivo Happening Fluxus and runs exhibitions, contemporary music concerts and activities. In 2018 it received the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes (Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts).
Highlights
- 18th-century wool-washing site in the natural setting of Los Barruecos
- Works by Wolf Vostell and the Fluxus collection donated by Gino Di Maggio
- Outdoor museum with sculptures such as “VOAEX” and “El Muerto que tiene sed”
- Interpretation centre on the wool-washing site and the vías pecuarias
- Archivo Happening Fluxus and programme of contemporary music
Permanent exhibitions
- Colección Wolf y Mercedes Vostell – Works from the main cycles of Wolf Vostell, founder of the museum, in the rooms of the former wool-washing site.
- Colección Fluxus (donación de Gino Di Maggio) – Collection of works of the Fluxus movement brought together by the Italian publisher and collector Gino Di Maggio, permanently displayed in room 4.
- Museo al aire libre de Los Barruecos – Sculptures and installations placed in the natural setting, including “VOAEX” and “El Muerto que tiene sed” by Wolf Vostell.
- Founded
- 1976
- Operated by
- Consorcio Museo Vostell Malpartida
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1.50Students, associations and holders of the Carné Joven |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 13 · Free admission for under-14s, with supporting documentation. |
| Seniors | freeFree admission for retired people and pensioners, with supporting documentation. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their necessary companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €1.50Reduced admission; school groups and teachers enter free. |
| Groups | €2.50 per person€2.50 rate for groups from neighbourhood associations and tour operators. One guide per 30 people; the museum does not admit more than 200 visitors at a time. |
Free admission: Every Wednesday (free admission for all visitors).
Also free, with accreditation, are people in legal unemployment, journalists, staff of museum institutions, official tourist guides, members of the Friends of the Museum association and members of ICOM, ICOMOS and FEAM.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- 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: no information
- Audio description: no information
Groups with reduced mobility can request additional access facilities at the ticket office.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Malpartida de Cáceres (parada de autobús) · 3 km
There is one daily bus line from Cáceres to the stop at Malpartida de Cáceres; no city bus reaches the museum, so the last stretch, about 3 km, is made by taxi. Cáceres bus station: +34 927 232 550.
The museum is about 3 km from the town centre of Malpartida de Cáceres and about 14 km from Cáceres. By car, take the N-521 towards Portugal as far as Malpartida de Cáceres and from there along the camino del Lavadero de Lanas to the south.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
Café-restaurant in the garden courtyard, with a terrace. The ticket office sells publications, books and catalogues on Vostell and contemporary art, as well as museum merchandise; the online shop is in preparation.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided and group visits are booked by phone (+34 927 010 812) or by email. The museum does not admit more than 200 people at the same time. |
