The museum was founded by Lluís Carulla, the founder of the Gallina Blanca food company, to honor his rural roots.
The collection includes a diverse range of 19th and 20th-century agrarian machinery, some of which was restored to working condition.
The museum grounds include an 'Educational Garden' featuring native plant species and traditional agricultural irrigation systems.
It is part of the 'Xarxa de Museus d'Etnologia de Catalunya', a network of ethnology museums across the region.
The museum building preserves a 17th-century oil press, a centerpiece of its early history exhibits.
The institution actively incorporates contemporary art installations to comment on the rural-urban divide.
The museum hosts an annual prize for literature and illustration related to rural themes.
The Museu de la Vida Rural is a regional ethnological museum in L'Espluga de Francolí dedicated to preserving the historical transition of rural Catalan society from traditional agriculture to industrialization. Founded in 1988 by Lluís Carulla i Canals, the museum is housed in the ancestral home of the Carulla family, a manor house dating back to the 17th century. Its permanent collection features tools, machinery, and recreated workshops that illustrate pre-industrial farming life, viticulture, and craft trades. The museum maintains a strong focus on sustainability and climate change, integrating these contemporary environmental challenges into its cultural narrative. It houses a specialized library and an archive documenting the heritage of the Conca de Barberà region. The facility includes modern extensions that contrast with the restored traditional manor architecture. Visitors can explore displays focusing on the cycles of the earth, the production of wine and oil, and the evolution of domestic life. The institution functions as a cultural center, hosting temporary art exhibitions and educational workshops.
The internal courtyard of the original manor house, which features traditional stonework and authentic architectural details.
Allow extra time to walk through the museum's botanical gardens, which highlight local drought-resistant flora.
Check the museum's online agenda for scheduled temporary exhibitions, as these change frequently and focus on modern environmental topics.
The museum is highly accessible for those with reduced mobility, with most of the facility on a single level or serviced by elevators.
Do not overlook the modern wing; many visitors focus only on the old manor house and miss the contemporary sustainability exhibits.
Closed on Mondays except for certain public holidays; check official website for seasonal changes.
