Almagro: Ministry to expand the exhibition space of the National Theater MuseumAlmagro: Ministry to expand the exhibition space of the National Theater Museum

The Ministry of Culture and Sports is renovating the National Theater Museum (MNT), located in Almagro, to expand its exhibition space. With a budget of over €136,000 (excluding VAT) and a lead time of four and a half months, the museum will have an additional 140 linear meters to add to its existing 385 square meters, which represents just 0.8% of its holdings.

The work is expected to begin in mid-November and the goal is to be completed by April 1. The renovation will result in a significant increase in exhibition space without the need to expand the museum itself or build new structures, as the walls of the rear hall will be enlarged to conceal existing pillars in order to obtain linear meters of exhibition walls in the three floors.

The overall emphasis will be on the west side, while the facades, courtyard and adjacent spaces will remain unchanged, and the library, administrative offices, basement and storage areas will not be involved. At the same time, the access area to the building will become an open space with a 105 cm high "U" shaped overlay to accommodate large freestanding furniture as an exhibit and storage area in the future. Behind this overlay will be a shelf that will be used as an exhibit counter, and on the other side will be installed visitor ticket offices to replace the museum's current store and ticket office.

The Minister of Culture and Sports promises to expand the museum.

The expansion of the National Theater Museum is a demand that was made several years ago. The current Minister of Culture and Sports, Miguel Iseta, has promised to respond to this demand during an official visit to the museum in 2022.

Politicians call for museum expansion

Socialists José Manuel Bolaños, Carmen Minguez and Jesús Martín, senators for the province of Ciudad Real in the last legislative convocation, together with what was then also an autonomous senator from the PSOE, Maite Fernández, presented in the Superior Chamber a motivation calling on the Spanish government to expand the Almagro National Theater Museum, the only national museum in the province of Ciudad Real. They pointed out that "since its opening, acquisitions and donations year after year have increased the original holdings to such an extent that the art repositories have filled up and part of the extension to the Palaces Workshops had to be purchased." "Space should be provided for temporary exhibitions, educational and pedagogical activities, and other public services," they said.

History of the museum and its renovation

The National Theater Museum is included in the Almagro Historical Complex and has the status of a cultural heritage site (BIC). The current building, inaugurated in 2004, is the result of the renovation carried out by architect Horacio Fernández del Castillo of the former Calatrava Masters Palace and preserves elements from the 15th and 16th centuries, among which its tower and covered courtyard stand out. The building was formerly the governor's house, cavalry quartermaster and convent, but it suffered a fire in the 18th century when it was the royal stable quartermaster of Fernando VI. It has repeatedly gone through stages of privatization, destruction and reconstruction.