March Palace Museum, Palma de Mallorca

The March Palace Museum occupies a grand building commissioned by financier Juan March Ordinas and completed in 1945. Although its Neoclassical and regionalist architecture evokes the historicist style of a much older noble residence, the palace is in fact a 20th-century landmark built on a site formerly occupied by the Convent of Saint Dominic. While the elder March provided the financial foundation, it was his son, Bartolomé March, who shaped the world-class collections housed here today, focusing his legacy on the acquisition of rare books, maps, and fine art.

The museum’s interior is renowned for its magnificent mural paintings by the Catalan artist Josep Maria Sert, which adorn the ceilings of the grand halls. The permanent collection is particularly celebrated for its extraordinary Neapolitan Nativity Scene, dating from the 18th century and comprising more than 1,000 intricately crafted figures. The palace also holds a significant collection of medieval and Renaissance portolan charts, or nautical maps, considered among the most important of their kind in the world.

A major highlight is the rooftop sculpture terrace, an open-air gallery featuring an outstanding collection of 20th-century works by artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Eduardo Chillida. From here, visitors enjoy sweeping views of Palma Cathedral, the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, and the harbor. The visit can be rounded out by exploring the historic library, which continues to serve as an important resource for scholars of Balearic history.