Museo y Yacimiento Arqueológico Las Eretas

About the museum

Until 1991 hardly any archaeological remains were known in Berbinzana, apart from a milestone from the time of Constantine and some Roman coins and pottery. That year, trial excavations ahead of the construction of a municipal sports centre brought to light an Iron Age settlement. Between 1993 and 1996 it was excavated systematically, and the rampart, the watchtowers and several houses around a street and a square came to light. The discovery led to the sports centre being dropped and the area being protected as a cultural space. The site now has an open file for its declaration as a Bien de Interés Cultural.

The settlement, fortified and dated between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, belongs to the Urnfield culture (Campos de Urnas). Its houses, rectangular in plan and of similar size, point to a society with few differences between families. A section of rampart, a watchtower and a house have been reconstructed so that visitors can walk through them.

The monographic museum, the entrance to the site, occupies the central bay of a former canning factory, the Industria Sagarcho, built in 1958–1959 and restored for this use. It displays tools, pottery, cinerary urns, a child burial and food remains, with panels, models and audiovisuals. It is located beside the Arga river and belongs to the Museos de Navarra network.

Highlights

• Fortified Iron Age settlement of the 6th–4th centuries BC
• Rebuilt rampart, watchtower and house
• Museum in a former canning factory with grave goods, urns and tools
• Wooden walkways that allow wheelchair users to go round the site
• Information for blind visitors via the Beepcons app
• Documentary in sign language and easy-read leaflets

Permanent exhibitions

• Exposición permanente del museo – Grave goods, pottery, tools and urns recovered at the site, with panels, models and audiovisuals on Iron Age life.
• Poblado de Las Eretas y vivienda reconstruida – Route along the rebuilt rampart, watchtower and an Iron Age house, beside the remains of the settlement.

Founded

2011

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On Sundays, during the last hour of the morning opening hours; 18 May, 12 October, 3 and 6 December and the days of the European Heritage Days

Free admission also for ICOM members. Capacity: 30 people per hour in the museum and 15 people per visit in the reconstructed house. There may be other free admissions depending on the programme.

Accessibility

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

The museum is entirely on the ground floor, with adapted toilets, and access to the site is by a wooden walkway. A Bluetooth system with the free Beepcons app gives blind or partially sighted people the content of the panels as audio and in enlargeable text; there are leaflets in braille. Neck loops and induction loops are available on loan, there is a documentary in sign language (Castilian and Basque), and the panels have QR codes with information in sign language and easy-read text.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Educational workshops for schoolchildren and a kamishibai (paper theatre) for children in Basque and English.

Getting there & parking

The site is within the town centre of Berbinzana, on the right bank of the Arga river; from the square with the riverside park, the settlement is entered through the museum. From Pamplona, take the AP-15 to Tafalla and then the NA-132, NA-6100 and NA-6120, or the A-12 to Puente la Reina and then the NA-601.

Amenities & dining

Next to the entrance square there is a riverside park on the Arga with a landing stage, benches and picnic tables.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit