Can Serra (Mataró)

Can Serra is a Renaissance-era manor house in the heart of Mataró, in Catalonia's Maresme region, now serving as one of the venues of the Museum of Mataró. The house was built in 1565 for Jeroni Serra Arnau, the town's first elected syndic to sit in the Catalan parliament (Corts), and it still keeps the layout typical of a Catalan casa pairal, or country manor, of that period.

What can you see inside Can Serra?

You enter through a spacious hallway that opens onto a stone staircase leading to the upper floor. There, the main hall has kept its original proportions, crowned by a wooden coffered ceiling dating from the building's construction. The façade is symmetrical, with an arched stone portal, a carved coat of arms, and wrought-iron window grilles that mark the status of the family who commissioned the house.

Two permanent exhibitions of the Museum of Mataró are housed inside. "Iluro, Roman City" draws on recent archaeological excavations to tell the story of the town's Roman past; highlights include the funerary stele of Lucius Marcius Optatus and the so-called Iluro treasure, a hoard of 19 gold Roman coins unearthed in Mataró. A second exhibition, "Mataró, Mediterranean City", traces the town's development from the medieval period to the present day. Can Serra also hosts temporary exhibitions on archaeology, art, history, ethnology and natural sciences throughout the year.

How do you get to Can Serra?

The building stands at El Carreró 17-19, right in Mataró's old town, a short walk from the main squares. Mataró has a direct rail connection to Barcelona on the R1 line, and the train station is roughly a fifteen-minute walk from the museum. Visitors arriving by car will find municipal parking nearby.

When should you visit and how do you plan your trip?

Can Serra opens Tuesday to Friday from 5 to 8 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm and again from 5 to 8 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm. It is closed on Mondays and on most public holidays, with exceptions on October 12, November 1 and December 6. Since weekday opening hours only start in the late afternoon, it works well to pair a visit with a morning spent exploring the rest of Mataró's old town. It is worth checking the current schedule before you go, as guided tours and workshops are occasionally suspended, for example during periods of extreme heat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Can Serra? It is a 16th-century manor house in Mataró that now houses part of the Museum of Mataró's collection, covering the city's history from Roman times to the present.

Who built Can Serra and when? The house was built in 1565 for Jeroni Serra Arnau, the first elected syndic of Mataró to sit in the Catalan Corts.

What will I see in the Roman exhibition at Can Serra? The "Iluro, Roman City" exhibition displays finds from local excavations, including the funerary stele of Lucius Marcius Optatus and a hoard of 19 gold Roman coins found in the Mataró area.

What are Can Serra's opening hours? The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday with varying hours by day (Tuesday-Friday 5-8 pm, plus Saturday morning 11 am-2 pm), and it is closed on Mondays.