Alicante is rich in various cultural places, including exhibition centers, and various small and large museums. What makes museums in Alicante interesting and famous are their fine arts and ceramics expos, exhibitions of archeological artifacts, bullfighting shows, and so on.

By reading the articles at happylife.es you will find out that Alicante has a rich history. Its first settlements were established by Iberian tribes, and then the city was under the rule of Greeks, Romans, Muslim, and Christians successively. Consequently, the museums in Alicante expose artefacts of all historic periods. Further in the article we present some snapshots of the most prominent and popular museums one should ultimately visit while staying in Alicante.

Santa Barbara Castle and Museo de la Ciudad de Alicante (MUSA)

Santa Barbara Castle in Alicante is located on the top of rocky Mount Benacantil 167 meters above the sea level. This medieval fortress is the largest in Spain that had a strategic value with its defensive cannons for Alicante since you can view the whole city and all its surroundings. The Castle of Santa Barbara is spacious and presents several distinct areas - la Torreta, el Macho del Castillo from which you can have a 360-degree view at the city and the bay, spacious Salón Felipe II (Felipe II Hall), and Plaza de Armas (Weapons Courtyard). Also, the Castle hosts the Museum of the city of Alicante - Museo de la Ciudad de Alicante (MUSA) – that will take you on the journey through the history of Alicante. MUSA exhibits archeological and ethnological artefacts and remnants, heraldry, tombstones, and other historic expositions.

Some of the Exhibitions in MUSA

1. Engineers Corps Building. This area serves as Information Center for visitors as well as exhibits archeological remnants accompanied by audiovisual presentation of Alicante’s history streamed on a big screen.

2. Old hospital. This area presents the exhibit “Alicante Traspasada de Mediterráneo” – “Alicante transfused with the Mediterranean”, which provides corresponding connection accompanied by the exposition of ethnological and archeological showpieces.

3. The Long Room presents the exhibition called “Stories and people”. The hall ends with the old medieval gate that leads to the fortress of the Santa Barbara Castle.

4.  Cuevas de los Ingleses or the Mine Room presents the exhibition “The explosion of the mine”, which is dedicated to the event that happened during the War of Succession in 1701–1713.

5. The Old Dungeons presents the exhibition of recreated torture machines that were used in Spain earlier in history. The dungeons are under the Weapons Courtyard (Patio de Armas), and since they can be accessed only via narrow staircase, they can be visited only within a guided castle tour.

Those are the first exhibitions that were first opened in 2011 in the MUSA, while later about 10 more exhibition halls with insightful exhibits were presents. You can visit any or all of the exhibitions during working hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

Provincial Archaeological Museum of Alicante - MARQ

Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Alicante was established on the premises of the old hospital of San Juan de Dios in 1932. It uses an area of 9000 m2 and exhibits 80000+ archaeological pieces that date back to times from the Stone Age to the Medieval Ages. Particularly interesting item to see is the Lady of Guardamar, which was found in Cabezo Lecero – an ancient Iberian settlement.

MARQ is divided into two distinct areas that will take on the journey from the ancient prehistoric times through the Medieval Ages to the Contemporary times. The Museum has eight galleries that are themed and connected based on chronological continuity.