Museu del Bast

Museu del Bast is a small ethnographic museum in Llaberia, a village within the municipality of Tivissa, in the Ribera d'Ebre district of Tarragona province, Catalonia. It is the only museum in the whole of Catalonia dedicated entirely to the tradition of the "bastaires" — craftsmen and traders who made the bast, the traditional pack saddle fitted on mules and donkeys to carry loads before wheeled transport took over.

What will you see inside?

The collection is arranged around several themes tied to the daily life of a village built around pack-animal transport. You'll find the tools once used to craft and repair basts, equipment used in fieldwork, items from traditional rural households, and objects illustrating how goods and materials moved through mountain and Mediterranean terrain where carts simply couldn't go. Together the sections trace how central mules and donkeys — and the saddles built for them — were to the local economy for generations.

Where exactly is it, and how do you get there?

The museum occupies a building on Carrer del Forn in Llaberia, right next to a passage known locally as "el Portalet." Llaberia itself sits within the municipality of Tivissa, at the foot of the Serra de Llaberia range, in the Ribera d'Ebre district. The easiest way in is by car: it's a small stone-built village reached via local roads from Tivissa, with no major transport hub nearby, so your own vehicle makes the visit far more practical.

What does the building itself look like?

The building is worth noting on its own merits. It's a stone corner structure on a rectangular plan, with a ground floor, first floor and attic under a double-pitched roof. Its narrow façade opens through a portal topped with a brick arch, typical of the traditional architecture of the area. The building is listed in Catalonia's inventory of architectural heritage, which confirms its historical value independently of the exhibition it houses.

Who founded the museum?

The museum was founded by Emili Boada, a local resident who gathered and documented the tools and objects tied to the bastaires' craft, aiming to preserve a pack-animal transport tradition that has largely disappeared with the arrival of motor vehicles.

When is the best time to visit?

Being a small, local museum, opening hours can be limited — it's worth checking the current schedule with the Tivissa town council or a local tourist office before you go, especially outside the summer season. Spring and autumn are good times to pair a visit with a walk in the surrounding Serra de Llaberia hills.

Frequently asked questions

What is a "bast"? It's the traditional pack saddle fitted onto a mule or donkey, used to carry loads across hilly terrain where carts couldn't pass.

Is this the only museum of its kind in Catalonia? Yes — sources describe it as the only museum in the country dedicated solely to this branch of traditional craft and transport.

Where precisely is the museum located? In Llaberia, a village within the municipality of Tivissa (Ribera d'Ebre district, Tarragona province), on Carrer del Forn, next to el Portalet.

Can I combine the visit with other things to do nearby? Yes — Llaberia sits at the foot of the Serra de Llaberia range, popular with hikers, so the museum pairs well with a walk in the surrounding countryside.