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The Museum History

The Arenys de Mar Museum was created in 1917, when a group of people from Arenys concerned with the town heritage decided to put together artefacts of historical value and show them to the general public. The Museum activity went through a lot of difficulties and the Institution was forced to close its doors.

In 1953, the Diputación Provincial of Barcelona and the Town Hall of Arenys de Mar reached an agreement for the remodelling of some premises in the town to be used as museum and library. Some time later, due to room problems, the Museum collections were stored away and some pieces held on loan were given back to their owners.

In 1979, through Mr. Pons i Guri, Mr. Frederic Marès offered his collection of lacework to the town of Arenys de Mar. Finally, after many a negotiation, the Arenys de Mar Museum was created with the collection handed over by Mr. Frederic Marès and the collection from the old Fidel Fita Municipal Museum. This Museum is located in the carrer de l'Església (Church Street), in the building of the old Sant Jaume Hospital, turned into a museum.

In 1998, Mr. Joaquim Mollfulleda i Borrell donated to the town of Arenys de Mar his collection of minerals, which was integrated to the Arenys de Mar Museum under the name of Mollfulleda Museum of Mineralogy, in the building of the Old School of Sea Pilots founded by Josep Baralt.

The buildings
The Arenys de Mar Museum is located in two interesting historical buildings.

At the 43rd of the Carrer de l'Esglèsia, the Marès Lace Museum occupies a 17th Century building that for many years hosted the Sant Jaume Hospital, in a site donated by Antoni Riera in order to rise an hospital for the poor of the town. In this same building, at the end of the 18th Century and beginning of the 19th, classes of needlework and lacemaking were given. During the first half of the 20th Century, the building was occupied by different religious orders and later was used as a municipal storehouse, and finally it was remodelled to become the Marès Lace Museum. A three-story building, it has a façade in the typical style of the 18th Century civil architecture. At ground floor stands the old chapel space and a small inner courtyard at the back of the building

The Mollfulleda Museum of Mineralogy is located in the building where Josep Baralt founded the first Nautical School of Spain in 1779. Built at the end of the 18th Century, it's a two wings, three-story building that still holds its original main gate of stone lintel and jambs. The building is located at 15 feet from the Marès Lace Museum.

Marès Lace Museum
The Marès Lace Museum was created in 1915 from the private collection started by Mr. Frederic Marès i Deulovol (1893-1991) after his attendance to the "Spanish Lace and Lingerie from 15th to 19th Centuries Exhibition" that took place in Madrid. Impressed by the artistic quality of the lacework, he bought part of the Marquis of Valverde collection, to which he gradually added lacework from other geographical places. In 1983, this important collection was integrated to the Arenys de Mar Museum.

Since its beginning, the Marès Lace Museum has enriched its collection through donations and acquisitions of important pieces. Now, the Museum contains the Tòrtola València Collection, donated on loan by the Silk College from Barcelona, the Vives-Nadal Collection, Barcelona lacemakers, the Dolors Marsans Collection, and the Catells Collection, Arenys de Mar lacemakers.

Mollfulleda Museum of Mineralogy
This Museum comprises different sections: one dedicated to minerals from Catalonia, with a compilation of samples from practically every district of the territory, from the oldest mineral fields to the most recently found.

Another section is dedicated to the mineral systematic. There, you can find a representation of the most important mineral fields worldwide and a complete paragenesis of Spanish locations, with the indication of main physical and chemical properties of minerals, a perfect identification and a complete information about varieties, composition, and formula.

The Museum also hosts a didactical section for exclusive use of mineralogists and college students, which is part of a documentary, historical and pedagogical ensemble with spectacular pieces of great interest because of their rareness.

Fidel Fita Fund
The Fidel Fita Fund is an exhibition of the history and heritage of Arenys de Mar. Its more important pieces are the findings from Torre dels Encantats, an Iberian settlement in the boundary of Caldes D'Estrac municipality; 18th to 20th Centuries nautical pieces; 18th and 19th Centuries pieces of Catalan tile; 18th Century Catalan household clocks; and 14th to 19th Centuries religious imagery.