Museum of Mallorca, Palma de Mallorca

Nestled in the heart of Palma’s historic quarter, the Museum of Mallorca (Museu de Mallorca) offers visitors an elegant journey through the island’s thousand‑year history. Housed in a 16th‑century city palace known as ''Casa de la Gran Cristiana'', once home to the Counts of Ayamans, the building merges Baroque balconies, Elizabethan plasterwork, and neo-Gothic attic windows-an architectural treasure in its own right. Originally opened as a public museum in the 1970s, it now occupies a complex of historic houses linked into a spacious and atmospheric venue.

Visitors move chronologically through themed galleries on the museum’s two upper floors, beginning in prehistory and romanals times before passing through Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and contemporary periods. Highlights include Talayotic bronzes, Roman mosaic fragments and columbaria, Almoravid and Almohad ceramics, and exquisite Gothic religious art and Renaissance painting-all displayed with thoughtful layout to help trace Mallorca’s multicultural evolution.

In addition to archaeological treasures, the museum’s fine arts section showcases works by major local artists such as Francesc Comes, Joan Rosat, Pere Terrencs, Baltasar Buirà, Fernando de Coca, and Mateu López, spanning the Gothic to early modern periods. The venue also includes a library, photographic archives, and a restoration workshop, with regular temporary exhibits and interactive events designed to engage all ages.

With very modest admission fees-typically around €2.50-it offers excellent value, combining a comprehensive sweep of local history, striking architecture, and a peaceful setting for art lovers and history enthusiasts alike. Between exploring Palma’s renowned landmarks-the Cathedral, Almudaina Palace, Es Baluard, or the Miró Foundation-the Museum of Mallorca invites a quieter, deeper exploration of the island’s layered past.