Marbella’s Art Museums: 3 Cultural Gems you may have missed

Art museums in Marbella don't get rated quite the same way the ones in Malaga city do.

Malaga with its big hitting Picasso and Pompidou tend to take all the shine but actually Marbella has three hidden gems that while not big on size, have a wealth of art and history to share. Often located in historic buildings with their own stories, These spaces are ideal to take some time out, in quiet from the hustle and bustle or the heat.

History, art lovers and curious travellers will be rewarded.

Museo Ralli: Art for all lives by the sea

The most traditional of the three, founded in 2000. I haven't met many locals who have been and it blends perfectly into the Coral Beach Hotel and luxury apartment complexes giving a blink and you'll miss it vibe apart from the Obelisk with the museums name in front of the building.

It is one of the five Ralli museums worldwide - the others are in Chile, Uruguay, Israel and another in Spain founded by Harry Recanati, a philanthropist banker and art collector. Born in Greece with Italian and Spanish roots, wanted to democratise access to art especially Latin American and surrealist works.

Set in one of the most desirable beachside locations, only 50ms from the sea. Once the site of a well known restaurant and reformed for this purpose, it has emerged to be one of the most important collections of Latin American art in Europe and it can be visited for free.

The space is a cool, calm oasis of marble. A quiet and meditative space to enjoy latin, surrealist and pieces from the likes of Dalí, Miró, Chagall alongside Latin American masters like Portocarrero, Cárdenas.

The building actually takes you by surprise, once minute you have the road noise of the carreterra, beach clubs and hotel life - the next you are in a peaceful gallery full of light where another room keeps popping up (the museum has ten in total) Rarely busy, art can be enjoyed in the perfect way. Temporary exhibtions do rotate but the core collection remains consistent.

🎨 Museo Ralli Marbella: Visiting Info

📍 Address: Carretera Nacional 340, km 176, Marbella (Golden Mile)

🕰️ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–15:00

Closed Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays

(Always check website for seasonal updates)

🎟️ Admission:Free entry

🚗 Getting There:Easy access by car, with free (limited) on-site parking.Approx. 5–10 minutes from central Marbella by taxi.

🌐 Website: www.rallimuseums.com (select Marbella from menu)

Museo del Grabado: Spain’s Hidden Engraving Treasure

I only discovered this facinating art museum by a poster. No one had ever mentioned it, I had personally not discovered it on any guides to Marbella and it is tucked down a side street on the edge of the old town. And what a lovely surprise it was.

The building itself has an interesting history. Set in what was once a Renaissance hospital- the Hospital Bazán, one of Marbella's most important examples of architecture from the 16th century built by a nobleman of the time Don Alonso de Bazán, intended to offer care to the poor and pilgrams on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Overtime it became a private residence before being passed into the hands of religious orders before being abandoned before being ultimately restored in the late 20th century.

The building is typical of Andalusian architecture from the 1500's blending Gothic, Moorish also called Mudéjar and early renaissance styles. A central Andalusian courtyard complete with classic features like arcaded walkways, stone columns and a central fountain - offer light and an intimate ambiance. Original stone flooring and tiling complete the feeling of stepping back in time and off the tourist track.

It's entrance belies what is within, small windows, a slightly crumbling facade. Although a few signs point down the passageways to find it, you could easily pass it. The building also looks a little under construction which is actually due to it's expansion - exciting for the future and indicative of the investment pouring into Marbella.

The museum was created in the late 80's and early 90's, at this time Spain lacked a dedicated space for celebrating and showing prints and it's associated artworks. Marbella wanting to establish itself as a cultural centre at the time and looking to develop itself out of the tourist industry offered to restore this historic building to be the home.

The blend of the building and a fairly modern art technique is a dynamic contrast. The gallery housing prints, sketches, lithographies and engravings. At the moment the exhibition Cezanne a Picasso, de Kandinsky a miro is a surprisingly detailed overview of graphic art of the 21st Century. Reach in emotion, through the display of 120 masterpieces you can see the skill and technique of some of the most famous artists in the world.

XAVIER

The museum also homes an antique printing press with details or it's origin and history.

🖼️ Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo: Visiting Info

📍 Address:Calle Hospital Bazán, s/n, Marbella Old Town

🕰️ Opening Hours:Tuesday to Friday, 10:00–14:00 & 17:00–20:00

Saturday, 10:00–14:00

Closed Sundays & Mondays

🎟️ Admission:Usually free or with symbolic donation (€3–5) The current exhibition is 5€ and well worth it.

🧭 Getting There:Tucked into the Old Town — look for signs near Plaza de los Naranjos.Closest parking: Mercado Municipal or La Alameda.

🌐 Website:www.mgec.es

Centro Cultural Cortijo Miraflores: From Sugar Mill to Creative Heart

Just outside Marbella’s Old Town, heading towards the mountain between the apartment blocks where the marbelleros live is a building of historic note, Cortijo Miraflores — a whitewashed 18th-century estate. While it may not appear on the typical tourist map, this former trapiche de azúcar (sugar mill) is a local centre of culture for Marbella’s, blending local history with contemporary expression.

Originally built as a working mill during the height of sugar production in the region, the building was later transformed into a cortijo ( a rural manor house) by the influential Domínguez family. Today, after careful restoration by the town council, it houses a rotating calendar of art exhibitions, cultural events, and historical archives, all within its serene, sunlit walls.

The architecture holds much of its original charm. Thick stone walls, wooden beams, terracotta roof tiles, and a shaded central patio preserve the spirit of an earlier Marbella — one tied more to agriculture than to yachts.

Visitors can still see elements of the old milling machinery in the grounds, a reminder of the building’s working past.

Inside, the gallery spaces are modest but soulful, often featuring emerging Andalusian artists, photography, sculpture, and community-led exhibitions. It’s a place where the art feels personal, and where the setting — with its creaking floorboards and hand-troweled plaster — is just as much part of the experience as the works on display.

🎨 Visiting Info

📍 Address:Calle San Pedro Alcántara, s/n, 29601 Marbella

🕰️ Opening Hours:Monday to Friday, 9:00–14:00

Closed weekends and holidays (some evening events possible)

🎟️ Admission:Free entry

🚶 Getting There:A 10–15 minute walk from Marbella Old Town

Nearby parking and local bus stops (Avda. Cánovas del Castillo)

📞 Contact:(+34) 952 76 87 35 Ask about current exhibitions or guided events