Are you thinking about visiting the Jaen Iberian Museum (Museo Ibero)?
If you’re short on time you probably wonder if it’s worth a visit. Or on the other hand – should you rather spend your time in the Jaen Provincial Museum?
As I have visited the Iberian Museum in Jaen myself, in this article you will find a detailed guide that will help you make your decision.
What Makes Jaen Iberian Museum Special
Museo Ibero is dedicated to the prehistoric Iberian culture and has the largest collection of Iberian art in the world, with over 3,500 pieces on display.
The Iberian culture is one of the least documented pre-Roman period which was from the 7th to 1st century BC. If you’re into history, this museum will be right up your alley.
There are three most famous artifacts on display in the museum:
- Dama de Elche – a stone carved head with detailed jewelry and headdress (5th-4th century BC)
- the guerrero de la doble armadura (the warrior with double armour) head and one-armed torso with weaponry (5th century BC);
- a bull.
The museum which opened doors to the public in 2017 has over 11,000 square meters of space, some of which is used for temporary exhibitions, and there is also a cafeteria, shop, classrooms, and conference rooms.
This is a very important museum for the province of Jaen, which itself is home to a number of important archeological sites, for example Cástulo (Linares), Giribaile (Vilches) and Puente Tablas (Jaén), sanctuaries in El Pajarillo (Huelma) and la Cueva de la Lobera (Castellar) and funerary sites Toya y Hornos (Peal de Becerro). The province has a total of 545 Iberian archaeological sites.
For the purpose of this article, I won’t go into much more detail, but I have shared some further resources at the end of the article if you would like to learn more about the sites, the exhibits in the museum, and other interesting facts.
Is Jaen Iberian Museum Worth Visiting?
Yes, the Iberian Museum in Jaen is worth visiting if you’re interested in archeology, history, and learning more about the Iberian culture in general.
On the other hand, if you’re visiting with kids, watching displays with broken jugs and old jewelry will be most likely their idea of a boring afternoon. My kids ended up just running past the exhibits, looking for the next cool room to see.
Scroll down for a short visual guide from my visit in the summer.
Visiting the Jaen Iberian Museum
Location: Paseo de Estacion 41, 23008 Jaen.
Opening Times:
Summer (1 July to 31 August)
Tuesday to Saturday 09.00 to 120.00 hrs
Sunday, Public Holidays and Monday before holidays, 09:00-15:00 hrs
Mondays which are eves of public holidays, 09:00-15:00 hrs
Rest of the year (1 Septemeber to 30 June)
Tuesday to Saturday 09.00 to 15.00 hrs
Sundays, holidays, and Mondays before holidays: 9.00 to 15.00
Entrance: 1.50 euros, FREE for EU citizens
Resources & Further Reading
- more info about Iberian Museum
- archaeological route – learn more about the Iberians in Spain
- history of the Iberian culture in Spain
- short history of the Iberians
- route of the Iberians
- list of archaeological sites in Andalusia
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Castillo de Santa Catalina, Jaén
