Terracotta Museu
Ceramics museum housed in a former tile factory in La Bisbal d'Empordà, with original kilns and a collection of local ceramics.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Terracotta Museu opened in 1991 on municipal initiative, with a room for temporary exhibitions. It occupies the buildings of a former tile and ceramic cladding factory: the La Bisbal d'Empordà town council bought the site in 1987 to house the museum. The factory had been built from 1922 onwards and from 1928 operated as the Societat Terracotta-Fuster, S.A.; production finally ceased in 1984.
In 1998, after a first partial renovation of the building, a first permanent exhibition was opened. In 2009 the museum closed for a major restoration and reopened for good at the end of 2015, with a new museological project, a renewed permanent exhibition and a cultural and leisure programme.
The collection brings together more than 15,000 pieces, including ceramic objects, tools and manufacturing machinery, mainly donated by manufacturers from La Bisbal. To these are added more than 3,000 ceramic pieces from the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, lent by the Generalitat de Catalunya.
The building itself is part of the visit: it retains clay settling tanks, chimneys, tanks and original kilns, some of which can be walked through.
Highlights
- Former ceramic cladding factory with original chimneys and kilns
- Possibility of entering three of the four historic kilns
- Permanent exhibition on the pre-industrial, industrial and artistic ceramics of La Bisbal
- More than 15,000 pieces and manufacturing tools, as well as ceramics from all over Spain
- Ceramics workshops and visits to a working studio for groups
Permanent exhibition
- Exposición permanente – Tour of the history of La Bisbal's ceramics in four areas: raw materials, pre-industrial ceramics (terrissa and rajoleria, earthenware and tile-making), industrial cladding ceramics, and artistic and decorative ceramics.
- Founded
- 1991
- Operated by
- Ajuntament de la Bisbal d'Empordà
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Retired people, students aged 8 and over, Carnet Jove holders, large and single-parent families with a valid Generalitat card, and groups of 10 or more people |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 7 · Free admission for under-8s, except on guided tours. |
| Seniors | €4Reduced rate for retired people. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and one companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €4Reduced rate for students aged 8 and over. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €4 per personReduced rate for groups of 10 or more people; guided tours and workshops by advance booking. |
| Families | €4Reduced rate for large and single-parent families with a valid Generalitat card. |
| Combined ticket Terracotta Museu + Castell Palau | €8 |
Free entry also for residents of La Bisbal d'Empordà, accredited teachers, unemployed people with the DARDO document and their dependent family members, and members of the Associació de Ceramistes de la Bisbal, the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya, the Associació del MNACTEC and ICOM.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Two-storey building with no architectural barriers, with a lift, two car parking spaces for people with reduced mobility and an adapted toilet with a baby-changing table. Wheelchair on loan, induction loop, relief and Braille plan, and a large-print and Braille exhibition guide at the information counter. The main audiovisual has subtitles and a version in Catalan Sign Language. Three of the four original kilns can be entered; the third of these is not accessible. There is an anticipation guide for people with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodivergent conditions.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €4 · Reduced rate for large and single-parent families with a valid Generalitat card. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Baby changing facilities
“El manual del petit ceramista” (The Little Potter's Manual) is a self-guided visit for children aged 5 to 12, included in the admission. There are workshops and family activities with advance booking, as well as an educational service for schools.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Estación de autobuses de La Bisbal d'Empordà · 13-min walk
La Bisbal d'Empordà bus station (Carretera de Cruïlles), with Sarfa lines from Girona; from Flaçà there is a bus opposite the railway station.
By car
Parking available
Own car park with space for coaches and two spaces for people with reduced mobility.
- Accessible parking
By car from Barcelona (150 km): AP-7 to exit 9 (Vidreres/Lloret), then the C-35 and C-31 towards Palamós. From Girona (35 km) there is a Sarfa bus. On foot from the bus station: along the Carretera de Cruïlles to Carrer de l'Aigüeta, Avinguda Les Voltes and Carrer Sis d'Octubre de 1869.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
The permanent exhibition, two temporary exhibition rooms, two audiovisual spaces for about 60 people each, and a courtyard with a car park of about 2,000 m² can be hired. Intended uses: receptions, presentations, meetings, press conferences, screenings, outdoor activities, private visits and small-format concerts.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours and workshops for groups, schools, adults and families, by advance booking only. Options: a visit to the permanent exhibition, a visit to a working ceramics studio, and workshops with professional ceramicists (raku, modelling and decorative techniques). Bookings: reserves.terracotta@labisbal.cat. |
