Museum of Segovia

Museo de Segovia

Method of Transportation: Walking

Transportation Time: Approximately 6 Minutes

Hours:

     Tuesday - Saturday: 

       October - June 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

       July - September 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

     Sunday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Cost:

     $1.64/€1.20

     Free on Saturday and Sunday

The Museum of Segovia is located near the Alcázar and Cathedral of Segovia. Initially the Providential Museum of Fine Arts, established in 1842, the Museum of Segovia tells and preserves the history of Segovia from the beginning of its establishment to the twentieth century[1]. Primarily in Spanish, the museum does have introductory sections in English and brochures in multiple languages. Originally used to preserve artifacts that were confiscated church property, the museum's artifacts were stored in in the bishop’s palace and later moved to the church of Saint Facundo, the public library, the palace of Henry IV, and ended in the House of the Nobleman, or the Casa del Hidalgo[2]. The Casa del Sol, the current location of the museum, was given by the Council of Segovia to Segovia to use as a museum[3]. Although first used as a slaughterhouse during the reign of Henry IV, the Casa del Sol has undergone many renovations to become the museum it is today[4].

Entrance to the Museum

The first part of the museum has a detailed overview over the early history of Segovia. There is a short video in Spanish that explains the geographic features and formation of Segovia before the archaeological exhibits. The artifacts are owned by the state and are maintained by the Autonomous Community of Castilla and León and are divided into separate sections of geology, prehistoric and high Middle Ages, Romans and the aqueduct, and Visigoth period artifacts[5]. This is then followed by the Islamic, Roman, Gothic, and Mudejar cultural objects and history.

Early Artifacts

The next section of the museum deals primarily with the 15^th to 17^th centuries of Segovia history. From hydraulic energy to fabric making to art, there are many important key aspects of history that reflect the time periods. One notable artifact is the altarpiece from the Church of Santa Columba, which was once located near the aqueduct that depicts the biblical story of Jesus[6].

A Section of the Altarpiece

The end of the museum contains the history of the 19^th century through 20^th century. There are fabric making and sawmill examples, followed by ceramics and clothing examples. The Museum of Segovia also has special temporary exhibits as well. These are used to display the museum’s collections that are in storage[7]. The goal of the Museum of Segovia is the “conservation, research, and teaching” the history of Segovia and to preserve its artifacts[8]. It tells the history of Segovia, as well as preserving the past for the future.

Works Cited

Brochure, “’Casa del Sol’ Museo de Segovia.” Turismo de Segovia (2014).

“Museo de Segovia.” turismodesegovia.com. Turismo de Segovia, 2014. http://www.turismodesegovia.com/es/que-ver/museos/1012-museo-de-segovia. (accessed 14 February 2014).

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[1] “Museo de Segovia,” turismodesegovia.com. Turismo de Segovia, 2014, http://www.turismodesegovia.com/es/que-ver/museos/1012-museo-de-segovia (accessed 14 February 2014).

[2] Brochure, “’Casa del Sol’ Museo de Segovia,” Turismo de Segovia (2014).

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.