Description of the attraction
The idea of creating an Archaeological Museum in the city of Almeria originated in the first half of the 19th century. By 1837, 196 paintings, as well as old coins and tombstones, jewelry and utensils from the period of Arab rule in Spain, were removed from the monasteries closest to the city and its environs. But for a number of unknown reasons, the opening of the museum did not take place at that time. Subsequently, a significant part of these artifacts formed museum collections outside Almeria and even abroad.
The proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic led to the fact that in 1933 the Archaeological Museum was opened in Almeria, which was located in the building of a research institute. The initial collections of the museum consisted of archaeological sites found during excavations in Almeria and its environs. In 1934, the museum has already begun cooperation with other museum funds in the country. In 1979, due to the expansion of collections, the museum was moved to the building that housed the College of the Virgin Mary del Mar.
In 1998, a new museum building was erected according to the project of architects Ignacio García Pedrosa and Angela García de Paredes. The interiors of the new building are spacious and bright thanks to the use of a carefully thought out natural lighting system, characterized by a minimalist design, clear geometric lines and spatial volume. The collections of the Archaeological Museum of Almeria are represented by exhibits ranging from the Paleolithic era to the period of Moorish rule in the Iberian Peninsula.
