Museu d'Història dels Jueus (Girona)

About the museum

The museum is in the Centre Bonastruc ça Porta, a building in the Call, the former Jewish quarter of Girona, named after the physician and philosopher from Girona. The town council acquired numbers 8 and 10 of calle de la Força between 1987 and 1990, restored the buildings and opened the first rooms to the public in 1990 with the exhibition “Els jueus catalans i el call de Girona”. The Patronat Call de Girona was later created to run the centre, the museum and the Institut d'Estudis Nahmànides.

The permanent exhibition occupies eleven rooms on the first and second floors and covers the Jewish presence in the city from the first families, who settled in the 9th century, through the Middle Ages. It deals with the Call, the aljama (community), the family, the synagogue, the Jewish cemetery, culture, trades, the difficult relations with Christians, conversions and the Inquisition, and the material legacy.

Among the notable pieces are a mezuzah and a seven-branched candelabrum, and the museum holds one of the most important collections of Hebrew epigraphy in Spain. The visit is complemented by a media library, an educational programme and family activities.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition in eleven rooms on the history of Girona's Jews
• Call building with a courtyard and a Star of David in the floor
• Collection of Hebrew epigraphy
• Free audio guide and sign-language guide in Catalan Sign Language
• Media library with audiovisuals

Permanent exhibition

• Exposición permanente – A tour of the history and culture of the Jews of Girona and Catalonia, from their origins in the 9th century to the material legacy, across eleven rooms.

Founded

2000

Operated by

Patronat Call de Girona

Admission & discounts

Free admission: The first Sunday of each month.

Also free for holders of an ICOM card or of the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya, Voluntaris per la Llengua, Spanish teachers with a teaching card, members of the press and official tourist guides. Discounts do not apply to guided visits, activities or groups of 15 or more people. Payment by card is recommended.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• 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: not available

The main entrance is passable with some difficulty, with a ramp of three steps, each less than 2 cm high, up to reception. The temporary exhibition is on the ground floor, accessible by ramp; the permanent exhibition is on the first and second floors and is reached by lift, which must be requested at reception. The lift works Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00; for afternoon visits it is advisable to call ahead. The mikveh is the only space not accessible by wheelchair. A wheelchair is lent at reception, and the counter has an induction loop. The sign-language guide is in Catalan Sign Language with Catalan subtitles, and the audiovisuals include sign-language interpretation.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Participatory workshops, themed activities, guided tours and storytelling sessions take place throughout the year, as well as self-guided visit material so that young children can learn how the residents of the Call lived.

Getting there & parking

There are several Girocleta public bike stations near the museum.

Amenities & dining

• Wi-Fi

Free wifi network “CallGirona”, open to all visitors.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit