The Best Museums in Málaga, Spain

The Museo Picasso Málaga is one of the region’s essentials. One of the world’s most famous artists, Pablo Picasso was born in 1881 in this historical city. The museum displays Picasso’s revolutionary multimedia innovations. The museum is the third Picasso museum in Europe, after locations in Barcelona and Paris.

Museo Carmen Thyssen is a part of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection of 19th century paintings. The museum itself has 230 paintings in its collection, with 133 paintings belonging to the Andalusia Collection. Most of the art on display is from the Romantic era; other paintings have Andalusian themes depicting Flamenco dancers, toreros, the Andalusian countryside, and traditional Spanish patios.

The Automobile Museum of Málaga is a must for car lovers everywhere. Here, cars are displayed as works of art, design, and craftsmanship; Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, and Jaguar are some of the top manufacturers which are presented in this museum. The car collection is worth more than 25 million Euros, and it is considered to be one of the most important vintage car collections in the world.

The Museum of Glass and Crystal displays more than 700 items of crystal and glass from ancient Egypt to the present day. The museum aims to make its exhibitions as aesthetically pleasing as possible; wooden 19th century cabinets are displayed with chairs, sofas, and paintings, used to place glass and crystal objects in context. Several beautiful samples are displayed in all conceivable colors in this museum, including works by Webb, Daum, and Wedgewood, the historic European manufacturers.

The Museo y Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, or the Contemporary Art Center of Málaga (CAC), aims to promote and publicize visual art from the 20th and the 21st century. The 2,400 meter exhibition room displays 400 pieces of art, which have been lent for periods of three to five years by the owners. Entrance is free and visitors can also interact with the artists who come regularly to the museum.

The Popular Arts Museum is an ethnographic museum that demonstrates the culture and traditions of Málaga from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Different exhibits display old tools used in wine-making, baking, iron-making or fishing. The museum also displays two paintings by the Malagueña Anita Delgado, a Spanish Flamenco dancer who achieved her fame after marrying the Indian maharajah of Kapurthala.