Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias, Oviedo

Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias, Oviedo (must see)

The idea of the Fine Arts Museum of Asturias was conceived in 1969 with the formation of the Public Foundation, Regional Center for the Fine Arts. Art museums were not new in Spain, as National fine arts venues could be found in most major cities. Museums in Asturia aimed to promote and celebrate regional and local fine arts.

On May 19, 1980, the fine arts gallery of Asturias was inaugurated. At that moment, it consisted of seven exhibition rooms showing 78 works of art. The Velarde Palace, built in 1770, was acquired and remodeled by architect Florencio Muniz Uribe between 1973 and 1976. The Palace joined with the Oviedo-Portal House (1660), and five adjacent buildings were remodeled between 1993 and 1996 by architects Jorge Hevia and Cosme Cuenca.

A few years later, at the end of the 1990es, talks about the need for a new extension began. The Modern Wing of the museum, designed by architect Francisco Mangado, was inaugurated in 2015. The Wing building stands on the plots of the five buildings acquired on Rua Street. A great feature of the Wing is its double facade. The Modern Wing is wrapped in historical buildings. Bits of the New Wing peep through gaps in the old walls. "Empty spaces" within the Wing are created with courtyards and skylights.

Today, the Museum of Fine Arts holds more than 15,000 works of art, including Asturias and Spanish artists, ranging from El Greco, Zurbaran, and Murillo to Picasso, Miro, and Dali. Baroque and modern sculptures, drawings, posters, and over 1,000 photos stand out.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday. Sundays and holiday hours are 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Admission is free.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Oviedo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias on Map

Sight Name: Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias
Sight Location: Oviedo, Spain (See walking tours in Oviedo)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Oviedo, Spain

Create Your Own Walk in Oviedo

Create Your Own Walk in Oviedo

Creating your own self-guided walk in Oviedo is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Oviedo Public Art Walking Tour

Oviedo Public Art Walking Tour

Oviedo is a beautiful city with many wonderful public artworks to admire. This self-guided walking tour takes you around the city center to see some of the most interesting sculptures.

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Oviedo Historic Architecture

Oviedo Historic Architecture

The north Spanish region of Asturias and particularly its capital city, Oviedo, have long been noted for their unique architecture. The medieval part of town, whose ancient walls are still largely intact, contains some truly priceless relics. Among them is a well called La Foncalada, a fascinating example of an effective hydraulic system, dating back to the first half of the 9th century, based on...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Oviedo Introduction Walking Tour

Oviedo Introduction Walking Tour

The Kingdom of Asturias began in 720, with the Visigothic revolt against Muslim rule led by the nobleman Pelagius. At that time, the city of Oviedo did not exist. Two monks, Maximo and Fromestano, founded the city in 761. They built a small church for Saint Vincent on a bare hillside, and from this seed, Oviedo grew.

After Pelagius died in 737, King Alfonso I founded a dynasty in Oviedo that...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles