A Spanish holiday would not be complete without exploring the culture preserved in galleries and museums. These displays of the nation's history and people speak volumes about the land. When enjoying a stay in La Manga, it's well worth a trip to some of the region's museums to view these cultural artifacts.



One such museum is the Ceutimagina Science and Art Center. It is located in Ceuti and is close to the La Manga resort area. In addition to its tourist appeal, the museum is a favorite destination for local schools because of its exciting learning environment.

Since it opened in 2004, the Ceutimagina Science and Art Center has presented the works of such notables as Francisco Goya and Salvador Dali. Other exhibits have spotlighted mathematics, optical illusions and music.

Of course, no family museum would be complete without space devoted to dinosaurs, monsters and various myths. The Center has included all of these as featured exhibitions. The museum is a hands-on facility where visitors can use their senses to experience the world. The Center also holds workshops on various topics to provide more in-depth coverage.

The Ceutimagina Science and Art Center was once a canned foods manufacturing facility. The architect Fernando de Retes transformed it into the beautiful structure it is today. The Center has five exhibition halls and hosts exhibitions from around the world each year. The programming is changed every four to five months to ensure fresh experiences.

Another place to visit in the region is the Museo Minero, or Mining Museum. This museum offers visitors a chance to view mining tools and mineral displays. It also has scale models of mining sites and projects and houses resources that shed light on the history of mining in the Murcia region.

The Museum of Fine Arts is the major art gallery in the region. It houses Spanish art from the 16th century to today, including paintings by Hernando de Llanos and Pedro de Orente and works by the sculptor Jose Planes.

Of local significance is the City Museum, located in the Lopez Ferrer House. Visitors to the museum can learn about the different eras of the Murcia region's past. It has three halls for permanent displays, as well as one hall that houses temporary and visiting exhibitions.

The Ramon Gaya Museum is in the Casa Palarea, a Murcian-style mansion. The museum contains sketches, literary works, posters and retrospectives of painter Ramon Gaya's work.

The Salzillo Museum contains the works of the famous Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo. In operation since 1969, the museum showcases Salzillo's excellent representations of 17th century religious sculpture. The museum has original sketches and more than 550 figures of the Nativity scenes carved by Salzillo and his aides. These works began the tradition of Nativity scene artistry in Murcia.

One other museum you may want to visit during your holiday in La Manga is the Ethnological Museum of the Huerta. This museum is dedicated to the popular traditions and arts of Murcia. It is an ideal place to learn more about the everyday way of life in the region.

A Spanish holiday in the resort area of La Manga offers great apartments, villas and luxury resorts. These become home bases from which to explore nearby towns and attractions. The entire region of Murcia has a great variety of galleries and museums that give a taste of Spain's past and present. They can make a Spanish vacation that much more interesting and exciting.