About Terracotta Museu de Ceràmica
If you enjoy pottery, as well as industrial ceramics in general, there is a museum on the Costa Brava that you cannot miss: Terracotta Museum of Ceramics, located in La Bisbal d’Empordà.
The building where this museum space is located began construction in 1922, completing the structure six years later. However, it was not until 1991 that the museum was inaugurated, which came to encompass a huge area of around six thousand square meters.
Specifically, the building was a factory where all kinds of ceramic coatings were produced. It was named Terracotta, so it's no surprise that this facility is known as the Terracotta Museum of Ceramics.
The Terracotta factory decided to end the professional work carried out there in the mid-eighties. Years later, the town hall of La Bisbal d’Empordà decided to acquire the building, which was then renovated with the clear intention of opening a museum.
Historically, pottery has always been very significant in this locality of the Costa Brava. The history of the potter’s craft, which became popular in La Bisbal d’Empordà in the 16th century, is reviewed in a museum that leaves no visitor indifferent.
All visitors are surprised to see the temporary exhibitions that began just when the museum was founded, the same happening with the permanent exhibition that opened in 1998. The combination of both exhibitions has led to it being ranked among the best Spanish museums dedicated entirely to ceramics today.
Exhibition
When visiting the Terracotta Museum of Ceramics, it is possible to see the kilns that were once used to shape the products that were later marketed. The chimneys that efficiently evacuated the smoke generated during the manufacturing process are also visible.
The exhibition of this museum is divided into four very distinct parts, with the first part focusing on ceramics in general. Throughout this part, visitors internalize the numerous decorative uses ceramics achieved, as well as the great relevance it acquired at the time in the artistic field.
Next, the exhibition focuses on the ceramics from a specific period: the pre-industrial, delving particularly into what took place in La Bisbal d’Empordà. It was made using wheels, while wood-fired kilns were used only once to fire the ceramic elements.
In this part of the exhibition at the Terracotta Museum of Ceramics, the various finishes that were characteristic of this municipality of the Costa Brava are described in detail, which are still present today in the ceramic products shaped in this town: glazed, smoked, and rustic.
The next part of the museum’s exhibition relates to industrial ceramics. Visitors are amazed at how much the potter's profession evolved thanks to the machines that were introduced, which saved a lot of time and allowed for excellent quality results.
Finally, now that we have talked about the professionals who dedicated themselves to pottery, it is time to address the last part of the exhibition, which is specifically dedicated to the creators. Artistic ceramics gained special relevance in La Bisbal d’Empordà at the beginning of the 20th century, which is perfectly reflected in this museum.
Spaces
The Terracotta Museum of Ceramics consists of several spaces, with the most important being the room dedicated to hosting temporary exhibitions, which are renewed every four months. In general, the ceramicists featured in this room tend to be quite popular nationally, being professionals with extensive experience.
'La Peixera' is another of the spaces that are part of the museum, focusing primarily on contemporary ceramics. For its part, 'Actualitat' lives up to its name by showcasing to visitors the most recent works, which perfectly reflect the modern techniques employed by the best ceramic professionals working in La Bisbal d’Empordà.
Lastly, 'El Forn' is a very notable space not only for the presence of four kilns that were once used to create ceramic works. Additionally, it also displays some pieces that are part of valuable collections, both public and privately owned.
Rates
The individual entry to the Terracotta Museum of Ceramics costs €5. The price of the reduced ticket is €2.5, so if you are part of a small group, are a senior citizen, or a student, you will pay less to enjoy the cultural experience.
Children under ten years of age enter the museum for free if the visit is not guided, as well as disabled individuals and citizens residing in La Bisbal d’Empordà.
Comment by Bravissima about Terracotta Museu de Ceràmica:
The Terracotta Museu de Ceràmica, located in La Bisbal d’Empordà, is a must-visit for pottery and ceramics enthusiasts. Opened in 1991 in a former factory built in 1922, the museum showcases an impressive collection of over 10,000 items ranging from pre-industrial to contemporary ceramics.
Visitors are amazed by the rich history captured through both permanent and temporary exhibitions, updated every four months. Highlights include:
- Display of ancient kilns and tools used in the manufacturing process.
- Sections dedicated to industrial and artistic ceramics, showcasing the evolution of the craft.
- Appreciation of historical techniques such as glazing and wood-fired kilns that continue to this day.
- A spacious and well-organized environment, where friendly and knowledgeable staff provide detailed explanations.
- Interactive activities that engage visitors, including audiovisual presentations.
Despite its vastness, some visitors have mentioned that the museum can be a bit overwhelming due to the wealth of information. However, most agree that it is a fascinating place, perfect for learning and enjoying the history of ceramics in the region. Be sure to check it out if you are in the Costa Brava!
Opening hours
- Monday: Cerrado
- Tuesday: 10:00–13:00, 16:00–19:00
- Wednesday: 10:00–13:00, 16:00–19:00
- Thursday: 10:00–13:00, 16:00–19:00
- Friday: 10:00–13:00, 16:00–19:00
- Saturday: 10:00–14:00, 16:30–19:30
- Sunday: 10:00–14:00
Terracotta Museu de Ceràmica: Reviews
Fantastic experience:
Very interesting place with a guide.
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Fantastic experience:
Lovely museum, nicely curated in a fantastic space. Highly recommended.
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Fantastic experience: A place to visit
Fantastic experience:
Very well explained, concrete
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Fantastic experience:
Magnificent museum. Well structured and in a very charming space. Several mini-reports explain the manufacturing process and the history of La Bisbal ceramics, and help to understand what is on display. Very nice treatment from the staff, who give you all kinds of explanations. Highly recommended!
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Fantastic experience:
Super interesting, it is worth seeing!
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting and well explained, collections of tiles, reliefs, ceramics, panels, machinery used in manufacturing, book editions, a joy to have been back at the museum this year.
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Fantastic experience:
Interesting museum to know different aspects of the ceramics of La Bisbal.
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Fantastic experience:
Interesting place to visit in what was a pottery factory with an area of many square meters, the museum was opened in 199, contains various machinery, ceramic pieces, plates, jugs, vases, terracotta figures and the old ovens that have been integrated into the museum.
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting visit to learn about the process of making ceramics and for the exhibitions
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Fantastic experience:
Remarkable museum which exhibits the diversity of terracotta work, from its functional use to its decorative and artistic use
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Fantastic experience:
A great place where they tell you the history of La Bisbal ceramics
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Fantastic experience:
It is very interesting and tells the story and operation of the pottery factory. Singing plays and all kinds of household objects
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Fantastic experience: A very well assembled museum
Fantastic experience:
Very didactic guided tours
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Fantastic experience:
Sensational installation in the right environment, very interesting exhibitions
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Fantastic experience:
I went with my partner and we liked it a lot, they have a lot of old machinery and a sample of how the parts and production evolved together with the machinery. They also have a small display of contemporary pieces.
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Fantastic experience:
It’s worth going, you’ll all find a piece of your story, if you’re already an age. And the youngest is they will give that the job before was not easy.
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Fantastic experience:
paradise
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Fantastic experience:
A museum with a large area of square meters located in an old pottery factory. It houses more than 10,000 objects and has a well-sequenced route by areas and with different explanations through alternating panels and audiovisuals. It is the reference ceramics museum in Catalonia. The duration of the visit is 1 hour and a half. Is it worth it!
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Fantastic experience:
Museum where you can see the process (factory closed in the 80's) of pottery. There are third-party exhibitions. A must if you are in La Bisbal.
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Fantastic experience: We loved it. Very interesting
Fantastic experience:
Very cool everything you can see inside, we had a lot of fun looking at the ovens
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Fantastic experience:
Very nice and interesting the very friendly guide
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting museum. History and work. Explanatory brochure and short introduction by the employee.
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting, educational, entertaining and architecturally very careful. Cool! ;)
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Fantastic experience:
the living history of La Bisbal not many years ago, very interesting, especially for schools
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Fantastic experience:
The former tile factory has now been converted into a museum. Very nice exhibition and very informative including video recordings from earlier. Once there and you can see the ceramic tiles in the area everywhere.
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Fantastic experience: You have to go there
Fantastic experience:
It is very interesting, you can see the kilns and utensils for making pottery, the whole process that was used to work the clay glaze, decorate and bake. Very interesting.
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Fantastic experience:
A good way to teach what was one of the most relevant industries in La Bisbal.
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Positive experience:
Everything very well explained and preserved
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Fantastic experience:
I attended a concert that was great, very good music, a rather intimate format and the place unbeatable.
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Fantastic experience:
I love it, very kind treatment
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Fantastic experience:
Very complete museum since the elaboration of clay, the formation of the pieces, the decoration and the firing. Splendid works of art. Friendly welcome.
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting and didactic. I recommend going there, you will have a great time seeing a very nice museum
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Fantastic experience: I liked it a lot
Fantastic experience: A pearl !
Fantastic experience:
To visit, beautiful museum in an old ceramic factory. 12-minute films retracing the history of ceramics in various languages. Free during the patronal feasts (fiesta major) from August 14 to 18. Beautiful exhibition of artisanal and industrial ceramics. Large spaces with presentation of old ovens.
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Fantastic experience:
A must-see in the Empordà.
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting! Until September 2021 exhibition of the renowned Diaz Costa, a great innovator in the world of Bisbal ceramics.
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Fantastic experience:
Surprising museum of ceramics !!! Highly recommended !!!
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Fantastic experience:
The best to enjoy the world of ceramics
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Fantastic experience:
To rate 0 to 10, a 10. Very well explained.
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Fantastic experience:
A good tour of the history of ceramics with a very visual and pedagogical approach
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Fantastic experience:
It is a very interesting visit, there is history and current art
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Fantastic experience:
Highly recommended, I have learned things that I did not know about ceramics.
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Fantastic experience:
A visit that no one can miss, all very well cataloged and an excellent trip to the past.
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Fantastic experience:
Well structured and educational museum
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Fantastic experience:
Splendid museum, a large collection of ceramics from around the world.
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting, I liked it very much.
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Fantastic experience: Very interesting.
Fantastic experience: OMG! I was not expecting this! A wonderful museum about the history of ceramics in this area. Great historical information and examples of everything you can imagine related to the industry. Great displays...and work by current and historical ceramic artists. Very much a living museum with events held in its grounds.
Fantastic experience:
La Bisbal is stunning, always worth a visit to the shops, pottery craftsmen and the Terracotta Museum!
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Fantastic experience:
A large space, lots of information, audiovisuals and tools to understand how ceramics are produced
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Fantastic experience:
Always amazed by the quality of the exhibits and the huge scope of the collection, those looking for industrial ceramics will find applied objects in their context here, and those who want to be more enthusiastic about the artistic muses of the potters, there is enough to see both from earlier centuries as well as contemporary exhibits. The special exhibitions are always eye-catching, but please, let me look for several paths ...
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Fantastic experience:
Because it offers a very interesting view of ceramics: historical of the pottery trade, both linked to La Bisbal and also contemporary with high-level exhibitions of contemporary ceramic artists.
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Fantastic experience:
Great discovery at the exit of the Bisbal Educational film explaining the ceramic technique
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Fantastic experience: amazing
Fantastic experience:
A great museum to understand the evolution of Bisbal ceramics.
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Fantastic experience: Well
Fantastic experience:
This museum, created in 2005, is a fantastic space to understand the history of La Bisbal d'Empordà and the work done by its potters who have been around the world for some time. The attention of the staff has been fantastic and has even told us the evolution of potters in recent years. We will return with the desire to see in detail the process of making ceramics as well as the works on display, as among other things they also have 5 traveling exhibition halls to complete the visit.
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Fantastic experience: Fantastic museum of the local pottery industry. Housed in the old factory producing industrial quantities of tiles and so forth, it has been impressively refurbished and the giant kilns and other remnants of the trade are fascinating, even if you're not into pottery. That said, the permanent collection has a great range of local pottery made for a wide variety of purposes which is well worth a look. We were amazed- the building's great and the displays are nicely curated. Well worth a visit.
Fantastic experience:
A modern museum with very friendly staff. Highly recommended.
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Fantastic experience:
Beautiful, both the building and the exhibits. We will be back, highly recommended!
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Fantastic experience: Very much interesting exhibition about local history and traditional ceramics processes both industrial and artistic. Also includes temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists, local ceramic school students and collaborations with other related interests such as cuisine and gastronomic events.
Fantastic experience:
The very educational space, you can see the whole process of ceramics from clay to turning it into a jar, a plate or a cup. The intimate exhibits of crockery, for example, can be seen in innovative designs, with only a few ends, but in general, they are looking to renew their dishes!
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Fantastic experience:
We really liked the theatrical visit to the museum. La Remei and Fonsu told us everything you need to know about ceramics and it was very fun and friendly. Ideal for small and large. Everything for a RAL!
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting film. The museum is worth seeing.
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Fantastic experience:
Beautiful museum, mix of ancient and modern history.
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Fantastic experience: A place to visit
Fantastic experience:
Warm atmosphere, beautifully restored building, beautiful exposure, very affordable price.
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Fantastic experience:
Audiovisuals very understandable. It combines a history of pottery-ceramics, industrial archeology, and news. A detail the pottery for modeling for children.
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Fantastic experience:
Good airco good pottery exhibition
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Fantastic experience:
Definitely worth visiting if you go to La Bisbal. Very friendly operators at the reception. The museum is small but well structured. It houses permanent exhibitions and local crafts.
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Fantastic experience:
Very interesting to do the guided tour. To understand everything well. It's part of our past. We like to go there.
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Fantastic experience:
An essential museum to know the world of ceramics. Highly recommended
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Fantastic experience:
Interesting! When we went there were some very interesting sculptures.
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Fantastic experience:
Beautiful museum to learn about ceramics
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Fantastic experience:
Ineressentísimo museum about ceramics
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Fantastic experience:
Museum essential for lovers of ceramics and for the general public.
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Fantastic experience:
The museum is very interesting and the spaces are well distributed. The receptionist has been. very kind
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Fantastic experience: The staff is very friendly. The museum occupies 2 storey building and is located inside an old ceramic factory. It has free parking inside its territory for a lot of cars and it holds temporary exhibition. You can ask information in English or French for the visit at the Reception desk.
Fantastic experience:
A gram museum in the Empordà, worthy of being seen
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Fantastic experience: It's very good.
Fantastic experience:
Very nice and interesting.
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Fantastic experience:
For the exhibition of authentic vassals
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Fantastic experience:
Very complete
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Fantastic experience:
Interesting things
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Fantastic experience:
A wonderful museum to discover the world of ceramics
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Fantastic experience:
Reference in the ceramics sector throughout Spain
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Fantastic experience: Very pretty
Fantastic experience:
Museum on ceramics, its history and the use and manufacture of ceramic products. Very interesting to see the exhibitions of ceramic artists and the different ways of creating objects with ceramics. Very friendly and explanatory staff. It is well worth it if you visit the bisbal
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Fantastic experience:
Super interresting. Crafts crafts of the work of the earth around 1900 .... Home very friendly. I recommend.
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Fantastic experience:
Museum about the past and present of bisbalenca ceramics. Temporary exhibitions of interesting art
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Fantastic experience:
Worth a visit. Good documentation
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