The museum

In 1896 what was to become the current museum opened in a room in the City Hall as the Museo arqueológico, biblioteca pública y exposición artístico industrial permanente (Archaeological museum, public library and permanent artistic and industrial exhibition). In 1941, after the Spanish Civil War, it reopened as the Municipal Museum in its current location in the former St Ignatius School. It incorporated the collections of a local walking association called the Centre excursionista de la Comarca del Bages as well as another similar association from Montserrat in addition to other works of art, especially religious ones, that were saved during the destruction of the Civil War of 1936-1939. In 1977 the permanent exhibition was revamped and the name changed to the Museu Comarcal de Manresa. Covering a wide variety of subject matter, the permanent exhibition of the museum focuses on the art and history of Manresa, the region of Bages in particular and Catalonia in general.

The Building

The former Sant Ignasi School is a large, square, building built around a large cloister with a neoclassical air. It was built by the Jesuits in the middle of the 18th century on lands adjacent to the former Hospital of Santa Llúcia (St Lucy), place where members of this religious order were installed from the beginning of the 17th century. For many years it was used as a secondary school and from 1835 onwards it has been owned by the municipality.