Museo Picasso Málaga
The Picasso Museum is, without doubt, one of the most popular attractions in Malaga.
This museum, dedicated to the work and life of Pablo Picasso, Malaga’s most famous citizen, is located in the narrow streets of the former Jewish quarter (judería) in the Buenavista Palace (El Palacio de los Condes de Buenavista).
The Museo Picasso Málaga and its collection are a response to Pablo Picasso’s wish for his work to be displayed in the city where he was born on 25 October 1881.
The museum is managed by the Museo Picasso Málaga foundation, whose purpose is to ensure that the artist’s work is preserved, exhibited, studied and shared, and to make the museum “a vibrant cultural and social catalyst and platform where citizens can come not only to enjoy heritage, but also to participate in learning activities and benefit from social services”.
Beautiful exhibition spaces
The Buenavista Palace was built in the first half of the 16th century on the ruins of a Nasrid palace, not far from Malaga cathedral and was declared a ‘Property of Cultural Interest’ in 1939. It was then leased to the Spanish government in 1946 to house the provincial art museum until, in 1997, it was acquired by the Museo Picasso Málaga, which finally opened on the site in 2003.
The building, centred around a magnificent courtyard, has been completely renovated and expanded into surrounding buildings.
A permanent collection and temporary exhibitions
Now it boasts magnificent exhibition spaces, not only for a permanent collection that is constantly updating its pieces, but also for temporary exhibitions which explore the interplay and influences of Picasso on other artists, and vice versa.
According to the Museo Picasso itself: “The collection of the Museo Picasso Málaga provides an insight into eight decades of Pablo Picasso’s work. Through the many different approaches it offers, visitors can discover the thoroughness and huge creativity of an artist who was an indispensable figure in the history of modern art.”
Click here to see the opening hours of the museum and here to buy tickets in advance (advised if coming during high season).
For the complete Picasso experience, take yourself to Plaza de la Merced and you can visit the house in which the man himself was born!
Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga a decade ago having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.