National Museum of Roman Art

The National Museum of Roman Art (Spanish: Museo Nacional de Arte Romano; MNAR) is an archaeology museum in Mérida, Spain. Devoted to Roman art, it exhibits extensive material from the archaeological ensemble of Mérida (the Roman colony of Augusta Emerita), one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in Spain, registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.[1] It is one of the National Museums of Spain and it is attached to the Ministry of Culture.

National Museum of Roman Art
Museo Nacional de Arte Romano
Façade of the Museum
Map
Former name
Museo Arqueológico de Mérida
Established26 March 1838 (1838-03-26)
LocationMérida, Spain
Coordinates38°55′2.302″N 6°20′23.500″W / 38.91730611°N 6.33986111°W / 38.91730611; -6.33986111
TypeArchaeology museum
CollectionsRoman art
Collection size37,000
Visitors239,798 (2017)
DirectorTrinidad Nogales Basarrate
ArchitectRafael Moneo
OwnerGeneral State Administration
Websitemuseoarteromano.mcu.es
TypeCultural
Criteriaiii, iv
Designated1993 (17th session)
Part ofArchaeological Ensemble of Mérida
Reference no.664-017
RegionEurope and North America
TypeNon-movable
CriteriaMonument
Designated1 March 1962
Reference no.RI-51-0001309

History

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An archaeology museum in Mérida was created for the first time through a royal order issued on 26 March 1838. A church building was repurposed to house the collections as part of the Ecclesiastical confiscations of Mendizábal.[2]

In 1975, on the occasion of the two thousandth anniversary of the city's foundation, the museum was refounded as the National Museum of Roman Art.[3] The current building is a work by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo.[4] Building works started in 1981.[4] The new premises were unveiled on 19 September 1986.[4]

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References

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  1. ^ "Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida". UNESCO.
  2. ^ Álvarez Martínez, José María; Nogales Basarrate, Trinidad (2017). "Los primeros tiempos del Museo Arqueológico de Mérida y su realidad actual" (PDF). Boletín del Museo Arqueológico Nacional. 35. Madrid: Museo Arqueológico Nacional. ISSN 2341-3409.
  3. ^ "El Museo Nacional de Arte Romano de Mérida cumple 30 años". Hoy. 22 September 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "Museo Nacional de Arte Romano Treinta años proyectando Extremadura (1986-2016)". Hoy. 19 September 2016.
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