Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo (Sevilla)

Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo is a contemporary art museum in Seville, housed in the historic Cartuja monastery on the Isla de la Cartuja, across the Guadalquivir river from the city's old town.

What is the CAAC and why is it worth visiting?

The Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo (CAAC) is the institution responsible for researching, preserving and promoting contemporary art across Andalusia. It was formally established in 1990 to give the region a dedicated center for contemporary artistic production, and it took over the Cartuja monastery as its home, opening to the public in 1997. What makes a visit here distinctive is the layering of two very different eras: medieval monastic architecture on one hand, and contemporary installations, sculpture and painting on the other, all coexisting inside former cloisters, chapels and monks' cells.

What is the history of the building that houses the museum?

The Cartuja monastery — formally the Monasterio de Santa María de las Cuevas — was founded in the 15th century and served for centuries as an important religious and spiritual center in the region. Christopher Columbus stayed here while preparing for his second voyage to the New World, and the monastery later served as a place of spiritual retreat for King Philip II. The building's fortunes changed dramatically in the early 19th century: in 1810, Napoleonic troops occupied the monastery and used it as a barracks. Although monks returned afterward, they were permanently removed from the cloisters in 1836 as part of Spain's church-property secularization (the Mendizábal disamortization). Shortly after, the site passed into the hands of British merchant Charles Pickman, who converted it into a pottery factory — the industrial chimneys still visible around the complex today date from this period. The next major turning point came ahead of Seville's 1992 Universal Exposition, when the building underwent extensive restoration; once the Expo ended, it was chosen to house the newly created contemporary art museum.

What can visitors see at the CAAC?

The museum presents both a permanent collection and rotating temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, with a strong focus on Andalusian and Spanish artists alongside occasional international names. Because the galleries occupy former monastic cells, the chapter house and the cloisters, exploring the building itself is as much a part of the experience as viewing the artworks. The surrounding grounds, with their historic gardens and the industrial kilns left over from the pottery-factory era, reinforce the site's layered, centuries-spanning history.

How do you get to the CAAC and what should you know before visiting?

The CAAC sits within the Isla de la Cartuja, an area that took its current urban shape largely because of the infrastructure built for the 1992 Expo. It's the same district that hosts the Isla Mágica theme park and other former Expo facilities. Given the building's status as a heritage monastery, it's worth allowing unhurried time to take in both the exhibition spaces and the architecture of the complex itself. Current opening hours, ticket prices and details of ongoing exhibitions are best confirmed shortly before your visit, as they can vary seasonally.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the building that now houses the CAAC originally used for? It was a Carthusian monastery founded in the 15th century, known as the Monasterio de Santa María de las Cuevas, later converted into a pottery factory.

When did the CAAC open to the public? The institution was formally created in 1990, and the museum in the Cartuja monastery opened to visitors in 1997.

What is the connection between this site and Christopher Columbus? Columbus stayed at the Cartuja monastery while preparing for his second voyage to the Americas.

Why are there industrial chimneys on the monastery grounds? They remain from the pottery factory established by British merchant Charles Pickman in the 19th century, after the monks had left the site.