Museo Nacional de Cerámica y Artes Suntuarias González Martí

Located in the Palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas, the museum houses a significant collection of ceramics from prehistoric to contemporary times, including works by Picasso.

Planning your visit

The building alone justifies the visit. The Palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas carries one of the most extravagant Rococo doorways in Spain — an alabaster eruption of writhing figures, water and vegetation carved in the 1740s, surrounding the entrance like a hallucination. Inside, the state rooms preserve their eighteenth and nineteenth-century decoration, including a carriage room with the family's gilded coaches.

The collection is the national ceramics museum, and Valencia is the right place for it: the region has been a centre of pottery since the medieval period, and Manises lustreware was exported across Europe. The holdings run from prehistoric wares through Hispano-Moresque and Talavera to nineteenth-century production and contemporary work, with a set of Picasso ceramics from his Vallauris years. Textiles, costume and furniture fill out the decorative arts.

The reconstructed Valencian kitchen with its tiled walls is a highlight — an entire period room assembled from original azulejos.

It sits in the old town, close to the cathedral and the Central Market. Allow ninety minutes. Bookable options include private guided tours with tickets. Current availability is shown below.