Badalona Museum

Badalona Museum, located in Badalona just outside Barcelona, takes visitors straight to the Roman roots of the city. Open since 1966, it has spent decades gathering finds from local excavations and turning them into a coherent picture of daily life two thousand years ago.

What lies beneath modern Badalona?

The museum's main draw isn't a room full of display cases — it's what sits underground and around the building itself: the remains of the Roman city of Baetulo. Baetulo was a significant urban center in Roman Hispania, and enough of it survives here to let visitors trace the actual layout of an ancient settlement rather than just look at isolated objects.

What remains can visitors actually see?

On the site connected to the museum, you'll find preserved Roman baths, former shops, and residential complexes. There's also a stretch of the two streets that formed the backbone of every Roman city: the cardo maximus (the north-south axis) and the decumanus maximus (the east-west axis). Seeing these two thoroughfares in place gives a clear sense of how methodically Baetulo was planned and organized.

What does the museum's collection contain?

Most of the collection comes from the museum's own excavations carried out across the city. Alongside material tied directly to the Roman period, the museum also holds objects from other eras relevant to Badalona's history — so the story told here isn't limited to antiquity, but traces the continuity of settlement on this spot across centuries.

Who is this museum for?

It's a good fit for anyone interested in archaeology or the history of Roman Hispania, and it also works as an alternative for travelers looking to step away from Barcelona's busier central attractions. Since Badalona sits close to the Catalan capital, the museum is a natural stop for visitors who want to dig deeper into the Roman presence in the region, which shows up at other sites nearby as well.

How should you approach a visit?

Keep in mind that part of the exhibition consists of remains preserved in situ — meaning they stay exactly where they were uncovered rather than being moved into gallery rooms. That arrangement makes it easier to grasp the relationship between the ancient structures and the modern city that grew directly on top of Roman foundations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Baetulo? Baetulo was the name of the Roman city whose remains lie beneath present-day Badalona. Its traces — baths, shops, houses, and sections of its main streets — are presented today as part of Badalona Museum.

When did the museum open? Badalona Museum opened in 1966 and has served ever since as the main institution collecting and displaying archaeological finds from the city.

What exactly can you see on site? Visitors can see the remains of Roman baths, former shops, residential complexes, and a section of the cardo maximus and decumanus maximus — the two main streets of the Roman city.

Does the museum hold anything beyond the Roman period? Yes. Alongside artifacts from its own excavations of Baetulo, the collection also includes objects from other historical periods relevant to Badalona.