Museo Arqueológico de Gandia

The Gandia Archaeological Museum, also known as MAGA, offers guided tours of its permanent exhibitions and educational workshops.

In the exhibitions, visitors can learn more about life in this region during prehistoric times, including the foods that were consumed and the tools that were used during that period.

The discovery and cultural significance of the Cova del Parpalló, dating back to 1872, along with the existence of a rich and diverse archaeological heritage in the La Safor region, have been reflected in numerous scientific studies and in the fieldwork and artifact collection carried out by local scholars and enthusiasts. These efforts eventually led to the creation of the Gandia Archaeological Museum.

It all began in 1960 with the adaptation of a small municipal warehouse to store archaeological materials. From then on, there were continuous requests for more suitable facilities, until July 1972, when the Gandia Archaeological Museum was officially inaugurated with the collaboration of the Valencia Provincial Council. Due to various circumstances, the museum closed to the public in 1987. Since then, extensive work has been carried out in the form of excavations, research, and documentation of the museum’s collections, as well as its restoration. A new museographic project was also developed for the Sant Marc Hospital.

The Sant Marc Hospital monumental complex is located at the southeastern edge of the medieval walled town of Gandia, on the left bank of the Alcoi River.

Archaeological excavations carried out on the site have revealed human presence in the area since the Bronze Age, as well as remains of an Iberian necropolis. Moreover, the existence of an ancient road has been uncovered, which, continuing from the current Hospital Street (Calle del Hospital), once led to a gate in the 14th-century city wall.

The permanent exhibition at the Gandia Archaeological Museum (MAGA) focuses thematically on the prehistoric period of the region, from the first Paleolithic inhabitants to the Metal Ages, serving as a prelude to the hierarchical urban societies of protohistoric times. These displays are housed in the former hospital’s Hall of Men and Hall of Women. The old church space is now dedicated to successive cultural phases and temporary or thematic exhibitions.

In addition to its administrative areas and technical facilities that support the museum’s core functions—conservation, research, and public outreach—the Gandia Archaeological Museum (MAGA) also includes a restoration laboratory, a multi-purpose room for educational workshops, seminars, and audiovisual screenings, a research room, a document archive, and a specialized reference library focused on heritage and archaeology.

Due to the continuous growth of its archaeological collection—especially as a result of recent urban excavations within the municipality—work is currently underway to adapt a nearby building, located close to the Sant Marc Hospital, which will allow the museum to house these materials in an organized manner and under proper conservation conditions.