Cartagena, Museo Arqueologico Municipal, Archaeological Museum

Museo Arqueológico Municipal Enrique Escudero de Castro in Cartagena

The archaeological museum is a fascinating place to visit as its actually constructed around the archaeological site of a burial necropolis which was in use for approximately 400 years from the 3^rd to the 7^th Century from the very latest phase of Roman occupation in Cartagena as the mighty Empire crumbled and then through a tumultuous period as this area was occupied by the Goths, Visigoths and Byzantines.

It covers a 700 square metre area and occupied the western bank of an ancient lagoon which constituted the northern boundary of the city, but which has now disappeared altogether.

As a burial place it reflects the huge change in religious practice being undergone by the city, and its use co-incides with the presence of early Christians in the area, possibly people who had fled from the Vandals in Northern Africa.

There are several forms of burial in this one location, ranging from simple graves dug directly into the earth, infant burial in ceramic amphorae, and flat barrow burials. These were frequently made with stones and covered with mortar, sometimes a small table like structure in the centre, which is a tantalising characteristic for archaeologists working on the site as it is an echo of the pagan custom of holding a funeral banquet for the dead, an act which was banned in 572 AD, so helps to accurately date the remains.

There are also remains of "family vaults" on the site, the forbearers of the cemeteries that occupy Spain today.

The museum is an excellent place to start if youre on a history trail and trying to understand the sequence of events in this area. Click for full History of Cartagena if this is of interest.

Beginning with prehistory, Cartagena includes in its boundaries the Cueva Victoria, at Llano del Beal,  currently under assessment with the view of trying to open it to the public in the future, which contains some of the earliest known human remains, at 1.3 million years old. If youd like to read a little more info about the site, following a Mayorial inspection visit, Click Cueva Victoria

The exhibits follow the path of the past, beginning with some high quality prehistoric tools from local settlements, there being important Neolithic settlements at Cabo de Palos, Neanderthal remains in the Bahia de Cartagena and Paleolitic at San Gines de la Jara.

This is then followed by the bronze age and  traces of the Phoenicians who traded throughout the Mediterranean basin and brought the potters wheel, prosperity and the skills of metallurgy to Spain, as well as the native Iberian tribes with whom they traded, a people who gradually lost their own identity following the invasion of the Romans, adopting Roman customs and practices until they disappeared altogether as a distinct culture.

The Los Nietos settlement, on the shores of the Mar Menor,  yielded some superb pieces, a number of which are on show at the museum, including rare pieces of weaponry, in remarkable condition and Greek trade ceramics excavated from the site, showing the high level of prosperity which existed in the settlement at this time.

 These civilisations were followed by the Carthaginians, the Romans, Vandals, Vizigoths and Byzantines, then the Moors and finally the Christians. It´s a bewildering list of names, and at times it can be difficult to understand who follows who, so an extensive history of Cartagena is available in the Cartagena section, which details the sequence of civilisations in order.

 Each have left their mark and artifacts, through 2000 years of history, and the museum houses collections from all races and periods , with some really interesting sections dedicated .to important local activities such as mining.

There are interesting display boards, sadly these are only in Spanish, but the general idea can be gleaned from the drawings which show the processes involved in mining, how it was done, the methods employed, the tools, and the products and how they were processed. One case holds esparto baskets and Roman tools discovered in the Roman mines, and ingots of lead, each bearing the makers stamp, crossing through history from the Roman mines to the twentieth century

Other displays demonstrate the importance of ceramics, vast quantities of which have been reclaimed from shipwrecks around the area, including the famous Phoenician boats of Mazarron.

Display boards show the uses of the different types of ceramic and how they were designed to be loaded into the boats with maximum space efficiency to transport wines and fish sauce throughout the Roman Empire.

Other noteworthy exhibits include a vast selection of Roman funerary stonework and Roman sculptures and artifacts.

 The museum also has upstairs exhibition space and conference facilities from which free seminars are run, as well as a childrens activities area with educational games.

In addition to the static exhibitions, the museum hosts travelling exhibitions and from time to time,  musical concerts and theatrical representations take place, actually within the ruins of the necropolis. These are inevitably free, and are listed in the whats on section of the pages when they occur.

The grounds surrounding the museum are also pleasant, with many pieces beautifully displayed amongst the trees and cacti.

Free Entry

Its a great place to go in order to learn about the general history of Cartagena and excellent for an expensive trip out. The museum is free, so can easily be combined with a paid entry location and make a top value morning of sightseeing, and the money can be spent on a coffee and tapas instead

Its not the best museum for younger children as there arent  a lot of things to press, but there were children in the play area when we visited, their parents enjoying a free guided tour around a temporary exhibition.

 Practical information about visiting the municipal archaeological museum, Cartagena, Spain

Location: Calle Ramon y Cajal, 45

This is just around the corner from the El Corte Ingles store , so is well away from the other major tourist attractions. Take extreme care with parking, particularly if attending an evening event, as although it's tempting to take the easy option of parking in the large Corte Inglés underground carpark, this closes when the store closes, and unfortunate expats ( including ourselves) have come back from a pleasant evening in the museum to find the car locked inside. A free concert turned into an expensive taxi ride home, so be careful.

Parking can be difficult around this museum as this is a busy residential area, and the best advice is to aim for the school structure of the Colegio Público Ciudad Jardín as there is generally more parking available around this area, and it's a 5 minute walk back to the museum from here. (see map)

GPS co-ordinates are: 37º 36' 55'' N / 0º 59' 36'' W and those driving from the centre of the city are most likely to drive up the arterial Alameda de San Antón, turning right to the Plaza del Escudo, with Corté Inglés on the right-hand side; the museum is in Calle Ramón y Cajal, so take the third exit on the roundabout.

Those who prefer to use public transport and not worry about parking, can use a number of bus lines, which drop close by:

Line 1 stops alongside the Mercadona store in Calle Ramón y Cajal about 50 metres away), Line 7 stops in the Plaza del Escudo) and line 9 Icue Bus also stops in Calle Jorge Juan on the corner with Ramón y Cajal, near to Corté Inglés.

Opening Times:

Tuesday-Friday 10:00  to 14:00m and 17:00 to 20:00

Saturday and Sunday 11:00 to 14:00

Mondays closed.

Telephone: 968 12 89 68

 Entry Free of charge.

Disability Access

Access. There is a tiny step at the front door, but once inside, the aisles are wide and spacious with plenty of room for a wheelchair to move around. Those with limited mobility should have no problems in this museum.

Click here for further information about the Cartagena municipality and suggestions for other places to visit and things to do in the city