Museu Bíblic Tarraconense

About the museum

The Museu Bíblic Tarraconense is housed in the Casa dels Concilis, a building erected in 1585 to safeguard the documents and records of the Tarraconense ecclesiastical province and its provincial councils. In the second half of the 20th century it hosted an educational and social project promoted by Cardinal Benjamín de Arriba y Castro. The house, a cultural asset of local interest, preserves a stretch of Roman wall from the precinct of the imperial cult and an access to a Civil War air-raid shelter.

The museum aims to be an educational tool for placing the Holy Scriptures in their historical and cultural context and for showing the influence of the Bible on Western culture. Its permanent collection is spread across several rooms: the formation of the Scriptures, the geography of the Holy Land with a relief model from the late 19th century, creation and fossils, prehistory and the Exodus with archaeological pieces and a replica of the Rosetta Stone, the time of the Maccabees with a model of the Tabernacle, Roman rule with an alabaster model of the Temple of Jerusalem, and the spread of Christianity with a recreation of an early Christian mausoleum and baptistery.

The Tarracròpolis interpretation space traces twenty-three centuries of history of the Upper Town of Tarragona, based on the structures of the house itself, from the Roman period to the air-raid shelter used between 1937 and 1939, which reaches a depth of around ten metres. The museum is part of the Route of the First Christians of Tàrraco and in 2026 celebrated twenty years of presence in the Casa dels Concilis.

Highlights

• Alabaster model of the Temple of Jerusalem (1929–1930)
• Relief model of the Holy Land from the late 19th century
• Full-size replica of the Rosetta Stone
• Tarracròpolis space with epigraphy, models and historical engravings
• Civil War air-raid shelter and stretch of Roman wall

Permanent exhibitions

• Colección permanente – Seven rooms on the biblical world: the formation of the Scriptures, geography of the Holy Land, creation, prehistory and the Exodus, the time of the Maccabees, Roman rule and the spread of Christianity.
• Tarracròpolis y refugio antiaéreo – Interpretation space covering twenty-three centuries of history of the Upper Town of Tarragona, with epigraphy, models, historical engravings and the Civil War air-raid shelter.

Founded

1930

Operated by

Arzobispado de Tarragona

Director

Andreu Muñoz Melgar

Admission & discounts

Free admission also for children under 7, holders of the Passi Tarragoní, accredited unemployed people, ICOM members, official guides and holders of the Carnet Jove youth card.

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

Due to its architectural nature, the air-raid shelter is not accessible for people with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The museum offers activities and educational workshops, an educational dossier to support the visit for children aged 8 to 12, and each Christmas a cut-out nativity scene to make with children and families.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the former Casa dels Concilis, on the carrer de les Coques, directly opposite the cathedral bell tower and next to the former Hospital of Santa Tecla, today the Consell Comarcal del Tarragonès.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit