Sorolla Museum Reopens in Madrid with Major Expansion

The Sorolla Museum in Madrid has partially reopened after a two-year closure. New exhibition spaces are now accessible while the artist's historic home and studio remain under restoration. The museum partially reopened this week, on 15 October 2024. This concludes the first phase of a yearslong renovation project that began four years ago. The main museum finally closed in October 2024 for the ambitious expansion and restoration. The expanded galleries are open, but the house and studio will remain closed for years to come.

Expansion details

The museum’s expansion adds nearly 20,000 square feet of new space. The new building is connected to the historical residence and the gardens, offering step-free access throughout. Previously, the museum’s entrance and upper floors were not wheelchair accessible.

The design harmonizes with Sorolla’s original studio through an emphasis on natural light and wood. The expanded museum has an interior courtyard and garden roofs to help it blend into its residential surroundings. A glass wall in the new building currently frames a view of the under-construction studio home. It will later be converted into a connective threshold that physically and conceptually bridges the museum’s past and present.

The new extension includes exhibition spaces, an auditorium, and storage facilities. Previously, the entire collection-over 7,000 objects and just as many photographs-was stored within the house. The new building now includes storage rooms and a restoration atelier.

Collection and history

The museum holds the world’s largest collection of works by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida. It is centered around the artist's historic home and studio, where he lived and worked from 1911 until his death in 1923. Sorolla personally oversaw the construction of his atelier-home between 1909 and 1911.

The collection is vast. It includes the following works:

Born in Valencia in 1863, Sorolla is renowned for his glistening scenes of sunlit Mediterranean beaches. The original layout of the home was conceived for a family of four and its staff. The museum opened to the public in 1932, after his widow’s death.

Exhibition and programming

The reopened museum’s first temporary exhibition is 'Behind the Artist’s House: The Architecture of the Sorolla Museum, 1905-2026'. It debuted this month. The exhibition tells the story of the house’s design, which Sorolla personally oversaw, and covers the subsequent evolution of the museum. It will remain on view until January 10, 2027.

Context and impact

The first phase of the expansion project cost €14 million. Work on adjacent properties, bought by the Spanish Ministry of Culture in 2009, began in 2022. The overhaul was split into two phases to minimise closure. The entire collection was relocated to the new building during the closure.

In 2023, the centenary of the artist’s death, the museum saw record attendance. It welcomed 344,799 visitors, a 40% increase from 2022. It was the first time the museum surpassed 300,000 visitors in a year.

Since the 1930s, the museum has undertaken partial measures to adapt to increased visitation. These included redesigning exhibition halls and installing climate control. The museum's director, Enrique Valera, stated that after the remodeling, the Sorolla Museum will have a new, expansive personality. He noted the museum did not have a space like this before, and it will allow for expanded cultural programming for every type of visitor.

Restoration of the historical residence is estimated to continue for two years. This work will include renewing and installing new lighting, air-conditioning, and security systems. The exhibition 'Behind the Artist’s House: The Architecture of the Sorolla Museum, 1905-2026' will remain on view at the Sorolla Museum in Madrid until January 10, 2027.