The building was constructed specifically to serve as the Fine Arts pavilion for the 1908 Hispano-French Exhibition celebrating the centenary of the Siege of Zaragoza.
The archaeological collection contains significant Roman milestones and epigraphy recovered from the ancient city of Caesaraugusta.
The museum houses a rare collection of sketches and prints by Goya, providing unique insight into his creative process beyond his famous paintings.
The interior architecture features a grand, skylit staircase which is considered one of the finest examples of early 20th-century institutional design in Aragon.
Many of the museum's Renaissance-era sculptures were acquired following the 'Mendizábal' confiscations, which suppressed religious orders and nationalized their properties.
The Zaragoza Museum is the oldest museum in the city, housed in a Neoclassical building designed by Ricardo Magdalena for the 1908 Hispano-French Exhibition. It serves as the primary repository for the region's archaeology and fine arts collections. The archaeological section documents human habitation in the Ebro Valley from the Prehistoric era through the Islamic period. Key holdings include Roman mosaics, early Christian artifacts, and medieval Islamic ceramics found in local excavations. The fine arts wing features works by Francisco Goya, including a notable collection of his etchings and engravings. The collection also preserves sculptures and paintings from the Gothic and Renaissance periods salvaged from demolished regional monasteries. The building itself is an architectural monument located within the Plaza de los Sitios park area. Visitors can navigate the institution through two distinct, permanent galleries distributed over multiple floors.
The central grand staircase and its surrounding architectural framing.
Visit the archaeology section first to understand the historical context of the items displayed in the fine arts galleries.
Take time to appreciate the interior Neoclassical details of the building, which are as historically significant as the collections themselves.
Do not mistake the museum for the Goya Museum, which is a separate institution focused exclusively on the artist's prints.
Closed on Mondays.
