Museo de Bellas Artes de València

What you will see

The museum occupies the former Colegio Seminario de San Pío V (seminary college), founded by archbishop fray Juan Tomás de Rocabertí and the museum's home since 1946. The Baroque design is by Valencian architect Juan Bautista Pérez Castiel, and construction began in 1683. The building faces the left bank of the old Turia river bed, between the bridges of la Trinidad and del Real, and is organised around a three-storey cloister with arches, five on each side per level.

On the west side stood the seminary's church, built between 1728 and 1744 with an octagonal plan and dome. It soon fell into disrepair and in 1925 the Ministry of War ordered its demolition; today it has been rebuilt with its original volume, though with changes to the façade.

The complex was expanded in phases from 1986. The permanent collection is in the pavilions of the north wing, which opened in 2003 and also includes a reconstruction of the courtyard of the Vich palace. On the west side are two large halls for temporary exhibitions, opened in 1997.

Cost

Admission is free.

Opening hours

Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–20:00; closed Mondays. Last admission is at 19:30 and allows only 20 minutes for a visit; rooms begin to be cleared 10 minutes before closing. Closed on 1 January and 25 December, and on 24 and 31 December open 10:00–14:00.

How to get there

At calle San Pío V, 9 (46010 València). Nearby EMT bus lines are 6, 11, 16, 26, 94, 95 and C2, and metro stations Alameda and Pont de Fusta. The closest Valenbisi bike-share stations are 5 (plaza Poeta Llorente), 83 (General Elío-Llano del Real) and 131 (Santa Amalia-Poeta Bodria).

Worth visiting if…

…you want to see a large museum with no entry fee, you are interested in Valencian Baroque architecture or plan to walk in the nearby Jardines del Real. Note that rucksacks, large bags and umbrellas are left at lockers requiring a €1 coin, you cannot enter with scooters or folding bikes, and rooms are maintained at 21 °C year-round.