Route 1: The works of Picasso
The very heart of Málaga's historic centre is where we find the main museums dedicated to this genius from Málaga: the Picasso Museum and the Picasso Birthplace Museum. Additionally, a few paces away at Muelle Uno (Dock One), you come to the Pompidou Centre where you can gaze at the works of Picasso and other artists.
In the Picasso Museum you can enjoy a good number of Picasso’s early works, as well as pieces that are representative of his whole career. You'll need between 2 and 3 hours to complete the visit.
The Picasso Birthplace Museum is located in the house on the Plaza de la Merced where Picasso was born, and features paintings by the artist as typical as Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, as well as personal keepsakes, photographs and works by other artists of the period. An hour will be enough time to see the house.
The Málaga Pompidou Centre is the first branch of the famous Georges Pompidou Centre outside France. The museum contains a selection of 90 works by artists such as Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Antoni Tàpies and Orlan. You’ll need about 1 to 2 hours to complete a visit if you don’t get too distracted by the interactive games the museum has to offer.
Route 2: The Russian Museum and the Automobile Museum (Tabacalera building)
The symbolic Tabacalera building (formerly the Tobacco Factory) houses the Collections of the Russian Museum and the Automobile Museum. You'll be able to see both in 4 or 5 hours.
The Russian Museum is the only branch of the Saint Petersburg Russian State Museum located in Western Europe. The Málaga Automobile Museum is the only museum in the world to contain an exclusive collection of nearly a hundred vehicles, in addition to a collection of 200 Haute Couture pieces by designers such as Chanel, Dior, Paco Rabanne and Valentino.
Route 3: Carmen Thyssen Museum and the Centre for Contemporary Art
It's possible to visit the Carmen Thyssen Museum and the Centre for Contemporary Art (CAC Málaga) without taking a step out of the city centre. They are about 15 minutes away from each other and you shouldn't need more than 4 hours to visit both.
Both museums exhibit very distinct collections. The permanent collection of the Málaga Carmen Thyssen Museum boasts true gems from 19th century Romanticism and Realism by artists such as Joaquín Sorolla, Mariano Fortuny and Ricard Canals.
The Málaga Centre for Contemporary Art exhibits works dating from the final third of the 20th century until the present day. The centre has exhibited works by international artists of the calibre of Tracey Emin, Anish Kapoor, William Kentridge and the Chapman Brothers.
Alternative route: the small museums
In addition to its large museums, the centre of Málaga also has smaller museums that are by no means less interesting. 3 hours should be enough time to visit all of them. They are the Málaga Museum of Glass and Crystal, one of the museums prized the most by visitors, the Revello de Toro Museum (with works by the famous Málaga painter, Félix Revello de Toro) and the Málaga Wine Museum.
Málaga has become a cultural model over the last few years in terms of the museums it has to offer. If you're just going to spend a day in the city, there are 4 routes we suggest depending on your interests and the location of the museums:
