Museu Arqueològic Comarcal de Banyoles

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1928, when the Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Banyoles opened in the Pia Almoina building. Two Romanesque capitals from the cloister of the Sant Esteve monastery, taken there in 1931 for drawing classes, were the seed of the collection. In 1932 the Roman villa of Vilauba was discovered and a small museum was created, then called the Museu d'Antiguitats Comarcals. In 1933 the town council and local residents interested in heritage set up a Museums Board, which also looked after the Museu Darder.

After the Civil War the museum reopened in 1943 with the support of the Centre d'Estudis Comarcals de Banyoles (CECB), which has since been a co-owner alongside the town council. In 1949 the Prehistory room opened with materials from the Serinyà caves, and in 1954 a History room with Iberian, Roman, medieval and modern pieces. In 1962 it was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument.

The Pia Almoina building is an exemplary palace of Catalan civil Gothic, known for its central courtyard with a Gothic gallery of pointed arches; from the 14th century it was the seat of the Council or Universitat of Banyoles. At the end of 2025, after a thorough refurbishment, the museum reopened with a renewed display and a permanent exhibition that traces the history of the area from 45 million years ago, when it was still a sea, to the present day. The museum also manages the Parque Neolítico de la Draga, the Roman villa of Vilauba and the Sant Esteve monastery in Banyoles.

Highlights

• Gothic Pia Almoina palace in the old town
• Permanent exhibition renewed at the end of 2025
• Palaeontological, prehistoric and historical collections of the district
• Materials from the Serinyà caves and the Vilauba Roman villa
• Combined ticket with the Museu Darder

Permanent exhibition

• Exposición permanente del Museu Arqueològic Comarcal – Renewed route through the history of the Pla de l'Estany from 45 million years ago to today, with rooms on palaeontology, prehistory and history.

Founded

1933

Operated by

Ajuntament de Banyoles y Centre d'Estudis Comarcals de Banyoles

Admission & discounts

Free admission also for members of ICOM, the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya and the Centre d'Estudis Comarcals de Banyoles, people with a teaching or tourist guide card, school groups accompanied by their teachers, and Apropa Cultura groups.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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 website reports access difficulties for people with reduced mobility and recommends checking with the museum. Guide dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The Banyoles museums are a few metres apart from each other in the old town. From the Plaza Mayor, on foot, you need to walk down about 150 metres along the Calle Major to the Placeta de la Font.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Bookshop with replicas of archaeological objects, guides and monographs on archaeology and local history.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit