Casa Museo Emilia Pardo Bazán

Casa Museo Emilia Pardo Bazán is a house-museum dedicated to one of Spain's most important 19th-century writers, tucked into the old town of A Coruña near the city walls.

What is this place?

The building at Rúa das Tabernas 11 was the family home of Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851–1921), a novelist, journalist, and one of the first Spanish women to speak openly about women's rights. She grew up here and kept returning throughout her life, treating the house as the emotional center of her family and her writing career. The museum opened at this address on 22 March 1979, after her daughter Blanca Quiroga donated the property specifically to preserve her mother's memory.

Today the building serves a double role: it's the headquarters of the Royal Galician Academy (Real Academia Galega) and, at the same time, a biographical museum of the writer.

What will you see inside?

The rooms recreate Pardo Bazán's private world much as it looked during her lifetime. Expect original furniture, artwork, and personal family objects, alongside manuscripts and documents from her archive. A highlight is the collection of first editions of her novels — including her best-known work, "Los Pazos de Ulloa" (1886) — plus dedicated copies gifted by other writers of her time. The Academy also safeguards her private library of roughly 8,000 volumes, part of which is displayed in the exhibition rooms.

The visit feels intimate rather than monumental — less a grand gallery, more a close look at the daily life and working space of one of the most independent-minded women of her era.

When should you visit?

The museum is closed on weekends, so plan your trip for a weekday. Opening hours shift with the season:

• July–August: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–2:45 PM
• September–June: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–2:45 PM and 4:30 PM–7:45 PM; Friday, 9:00 AM–2:45 PM

Outside the summer months, the house-museum also opens in the afternoon, which gives you more flexibility when building your route through the old town.

How do you get there?

The Casa Museo sits in the Ciudad Vieja, A Coruña's old town, within walking distance of the cathedral and the main historic squares. It's an easy add-on to a stroll through the old quarter — most of the area's landmarks are within a 10–15 minute walk of each other.

Why is it worth a visit?

Emilia Pardo Bazán was a pioneer of realism and naturalism in Spanish literature, and one of the first women to actively campaign for Galician culture and women's emancipation in the conservative Spain of her time. Visiting her home is more than a literature lesson — it's a chance to see how a woman ahead of her era actually lived and worked.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book tickets in advance? It's worth checking current admission arrangements before visiting, since the building doubles as an academy headquarters and space can be limited.

Is the museum open on weekends? No — it's closed Saturdays and Sundays. Plan your visit for a weekday.

How much time should I set aside? This is a small, intimate house-museum — a full visit usually takes around 45 to 60 minutes.

Can I combine it with other old-town sights? Yes, the museum sits right in the heart of the Ciudad Vieja, close to the cathedral and main squares, so it fits easily into a longer walk through the historic district.