Date of publication 11/01/2024
Art in Mallorca: the galleries and museums you'll fall in love with
Art in Mallorca is an omnipresent force. Because, beyond its beautiful beaches and coves, its romantic restaurants or its impressive cycling routes, the island exudes a unique creative energy. Colour, emotions and movement fill each and every corner, with spaces and modes of expression that connect past and future. What influences what, but also how and where. For example: did you know that Palma, the capital, has more galleries than any other city in Spain? Events such as the Nit de l'Art (in English, Night of art), which takes place in September and during which all the museums stay open until midnight, have contributed to the city "becoming one of the most important art centres in Europe", in the words of the famous Sotheby's auction house.
The rich cultural heritage of Mallorca's museums, together with the avant-garde of a new and growing art scene, have made this bohemian Mediterranean destination an essential meeting point for artists and travellers looking to enjoy their holidays with a different perspective. Do you identify with this idea? Then make a note of its emotional coordinates because from your Iberostar hotel in Majorca you will have access to the latest in culture, including the following addresses.
The best museums in Mallorca
Es Baluard Museum of Contemporary Art of Palma
Plaça de la Porta de Santa Catalina 10, Palma
The Es Baluard building, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Palma, is integrated into its old bastion. Its modern, luminous, clean-lined architecture merges with the Renaissance walls of the city in an unusual play of contrasts that will guide you through the largest contemporary art space in the Balearic Islands. It was opened in 2004 and, since then, its permanent and temporary exhibitions (which include video art, interactive works and performance art and a continuous dialogue between plastic disciplines such as painting, sculpture and photography with other forms of creation such as literature and music) are constantly changing and evolving, just like the current art scene itself.
From its rooftop terrace you can enjoy one of the best views of Palma, with "La Seu", its cathedral, presiding over the horizon. Stay at the nearby Playa de Palma hotels Iberostar Selection Llaut Palma, Iberostar Selection Playa de Palma (open all year round) and Iberostar Waves Bahía de Palma to experience art in Mallorca just fifteen minutes from the centre.
Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation Mallorca
Carrer de Saridakis 29, Palma
In 1981, Joan Miró and his wife, Pilar Juncosa, made a public donation that included the Sert and Son Boter workshops with all the artist's works, documents and objects they contained at the time. This gesture was the origin of the Miró Mallorca Foundation, located next to Cala Major, on the outskirts of Palma. Since then, his legacy has remained intact and accessible in this museum, which is also the place where Joan Miró worked and lived for more than thirty years. The foundation houses paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics and graphic work, as well as a large part of his library and many other elements that formed part of his everyday life. In total, there are more than 7,000 pieces, as well as an additional collection with matrices, models and illustrated books. If you are interested in cultural tourism and you are attracted by the dreamlike universe with Fauvist and expressionist touches of the creator from Barcelona, this is one of the art museums in Palma de Mallorca that you cannot miss.
Ethnological Museum of Muro
Carrer Major 15, Muro
In the Ethnological Museum of Muro, which is located in the north of the island, you will have the opportunity to delve into the Mallorcan memory by travelling back in time with its traditional products and trades. It is located in an old noble house donated by the architect Gabriel Alomar i Esteve in 1965 and houses everything from farming tools to a complete collection of typical pottery, a waterwheel and even an old pharmacy inside. The building, consisting of two naves and a courtyard in an excellent state of conservation, is, in itself, a work of art. Close by is Playa de Muro, recognised as the best beach in Spain and the third best in Europe. This is the location of the All-Inclusive resort comprising the Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa and Iberostar Selection Albufera Park hotels, with 10 bars and restaurants and 7 swimming pools. As well as being located on the seafront, the resort has direct access to the S'Albufera de Mallorca Natural Park, an ideal place for hiking and cycling with the whole family.
Museum of Sacred Art
Carrer del Mirador 5, Palma
The art museums in Palma de Mallorca cater for all tastes and inspirations. The Museum of Sacred Art is the oldest on the island, created from the Lulian Archaeological Museum, inaugurated in 1881. Almost all of its pieces come from ecclesiastical donations, as well as some private donations, such as the one made by the Counts of Séguier. Its complete collection, with more than 1,200 works, includes paintings, sculpture, gold and silver work, numismatics, archaeology, ceramics, graphic documentation, textiles and objects related to anthropology.
It is housed in the Episcopal Palace, an imposing building where the Gothic style predominates and which today remains attached to the apse of Palma Cathedral on the Almudaina wall. If you are looking for plans to enrich your stay if you visit Mallorca in winter, you will love strolling around this part of the city and discovering its monuments.
Museum of the History of the City of Mallorca at Bellver Castle
Carrer Camilo José Cela s/n, Palma
In Bellver Castle there is a secret passageway linked to one of the best known myths and legends of Mallorca. It is believed that James II ordered it to be built so that, in the event of an assault, he could flee directly from his quarters to the sea. Are you passionate about history and its relationship with architecture? Then you will also like to know that Bellver, built in the 14th century, belongs to the Catalan Gothic style, although it has a curious circular floor plan, an unusual layout for European castles of the time. Presided over by the leafy forest that surrounds the building, from its vantage point you can enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city of Palma and its surroundings, including the bay. But that's not all: the fortress also houses one of the most representative museums in Mallorca, the Museum of the History of the City of Mallorca, which records and bears witness to its evolution over time.
The best art galleries in Mallorca
Gallery RED
Carrer de Can Puigdorfila 4, Palma
To understand the Mallorcan cultural revolution, you have to let yourself be amazed by the art galleries in Mallorca. Some are as influential as Gallery RED, with its twelve exhibition spaces and private rooms, including the iconic Art Loft. Its founder, Drew Aaron, is considered one of the world's leading collectors of contemporary art and the most notable collector in Spain. His exhibitions pay tribute to the work of established artists of the last century, such as Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and Basquiat, as well as emerging artists such as Rubén Martín de Lucas, Elena Gual, Toni Garau and Studio Lenca. It is said that Gallery RED has been creating an art neighbourhood around it, with a few blocks where the largest number of galleries per square metre in the whole country are grouped together.
LA BIBI Gallery
Carrer Molí del Comte 47A, 07010, Palma
In addition to its established names, art in Mallorca is also defined by innovative projects of more recent creation. Some of them are a hybrid between the traditional galleries and pop-up exhibitions. LA BIBI Gallery, founded in 2021 by Miquel Campins and Marc Bibiloni with the intention of highlighting the work of young artists, brings a disruptive point to the scene. As well as having a permanent collection at its Mallorcan headquarters, it organises temporary exhibitions in different countries, taking its vision to unexpected places and taking it out into the street. In addition, in 2023 it opened a residency to support painters, sculptors and performers from all over the world. Aljoscha, Ela Fidalgo, Marria Prats, Miju Lee and Michael Staniak are among its carefully selected artists.
Gemma Leys Gallery
Paseo del Mar 20, Cala Llombards
In the south of the island, in the town of Santanyí and next to other small local galleries, the gallery of the Dutch painter Gemma Leys stands out, an original project that bears her name. Gemma Leys' colourful oil and pigment paintings, inspired by her travels and experiences around the world, cover the walls of a traditional Mallorcan house. Some of them have had verses from different poets added to intensify their symbolism. The surroundings are also a great help, as Santanyí has a great artistic tradition: its streets are home to more than thirty exhibition spaces and are the refuge of many artists. Nearby is the Iberostar Waves Cala Millor hotel, an oasis of peace with glass walls that blends into the coastal landscape. In this adult-oriented accommodation, you can reconnect with yourself thanks to its wellness treatments, including aromatherapy and sea gold therapy, the Mediterranean diet and a sustainable vocation that will bring you closer to nature.
Pelaires
Carrer de Can Verí 3, Palma
The fact that most of the art galleries in Mallorca are grouped in the same place in the old town means that you can visit them all even if you only have a short time available. This will simplify your schedule during your short weekend getaways or one-day visits. At the heart of all this creative atmosphere is Pelaires. The gallery was born in 1969, when Josep Pinya was able to fulfil his dream of opening the only space dedicated to the art of his contemporaries that existed in Mallorca at that time. To give you an idea, on the opening day creations by Picasso and Antoni Tàpies were exhibited. Just one year later, in 1970, Joan Miró held his first solo exhibition on the island. Over the last few decades, the works of Chillida, Andreu Alfaro, Saura, Rachel Howard and Rebecca Horn, as well as the texts of writers Pablo Neruda, Vicente Aleixandre, Rafael Alberti and Camilo José Cela, have been exhibited here. The Can Veri Contemporary Cultural Centre, housed in a 17th century building, opened its doors to the public in the 1990s and is still considered a benchmark of avant-garde and good judgement.
Rialto Living
Carrer de Sant Feliu 3, Palma
Rialto Living is much more than a gallery. It is, on the one hand, an interior design studio and, on the other, a multi-brand shop that houses a historic café in the courtyard and an exhibition hall on the upper floor. This inclusive project promotes the work of international and local artists with temporary exhibitions that change from month to month. The gallery generally selects small and medium-sized art objects that can fit into a modern, thoughtful interior design: if you're thinking of redecorating your home, you might want to stop by on your next trip to Mallorca. Diverse art forms such as painting, crafts and fashion coexist in harmony in its eclectic rooms. The entire space once belonged to the old Rialto Cinema, an emblematic building that today lends charm and fascination to everything that goes on inside. After enjoying this peculiar vision of art in Mallorca, you can sit down for a drink and recharge your batteries in its stately 15th-century cloister.
