Museu Martorell

The Museu Martorell in Barcelona's Ciutadella Park is a historic building that opened in 1882 as the first structure in the city built specifically for public museum use. The project originated with the bequest of the scientist Francesc Martorell i Peña, who left the city his extensive natural history and archaeology collections along with funds for the building's construction. Designed by the architect Antoni Rovira i Trias, the building combines historicist and eclectic elements. It consists of three rectangular wings, with the central section marked by a portico with four Doric columns of Montjuïc stone and a triangular pediment bearing the city's coat of arms. Flanking the entrance are sculptures by Eduard B. Alentorn depicting important naturalists. The side wings are distinguished by a regular layout of pilasters and palmette reliefs, which lend them a calm, stately character.

Originally conceived as a museum of archaeology and natural sciences, the building soon came to house only geological collections after the archaeological holdings were moved in 1891. For decades it was known as the Geology Museum and served as an important center for research in mineralogy, paleontology, and petrology. The building was also part of the 1888 World's Fair, which made Ciutadella Park a hub for scientific activity. After an extended closure beginning in 2010 to prepare for the move of the permanent collections to a new location, the building reopened on December 18, 2023, following renovation.

Today the building goes by the name Centro Martorell de Exposiciones and serves as a venue for temporary science exhibitions. The focus is on topics of major social relevance, especially the climate crisis, biodiversity, and the current limits of scientific knowledge. Visitors can thus experience not only the architectural significance of the historic building in the heart of the Old Town, but also current debates about nature and its preservation in a modern exhibition setting.