Discovering the Best Museums on Menorca

Menorca is one of the most unspoilt island destinations in the Mediterranean, and visitors come year round to enjoy the long sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. Sports like kayaking and windsurfing are popular, and hiking and horseback riding are common activities away from the coast. People who book accommodation in one of the delightful Cala Galdana villas will have access to some great outdoor activities and excellent amenities.

But to get a taste of the island's rich cultural and artistic history, you'll have to get away from the resorts and your Cala Galdana villas and explore some of Menorca's great art, history, cultural and archaeological attractions. This article will introduce a few of the island's museums, demonstrating that Menorca has much more to offer than just beautiful beaches. Museum of Menorca (Mahon: Monestir de San Francisco, Placa des Monestir, Mao)

Within an easy drive from the Cala Galdana villas, and housed in beautiful old Franciscan monastery dating from the end of the 17th century, the Museum of Menorca (Museo de Menorca) has been called the island's most important historical building. Here you'll get a taste of how the religious monks would have lived in days gone by. The history of the Baroque style building has the monks abandoning it 1835, after which time it was variously used as a school, library, and orphanage before it finally became a museum.

The building has been restored, and how houses displays of the island's history (from antiquity to modern day) over several floors. Near the main entrance on the ground floor, visitors can find exhibition rooms with changing displays and access to the original cloisters. The upstairs rooms have been opened more recently and display artefacts from the island's archaeological sites, as well as maps and paintings. You can also get a crash course in the island's history by watching a short video near the entrance to the exhibition rooms.

Environmental Museum (Ferreries)

The Environmental Museum (Nature Centre) is run by a local group called the Balearic Group for Ornithology and Defense of Nature. This is a great place to get information about the island's natural history and geological development and how people use the region in the present day. It has interesting exhibitions on the history of human interaction with the landscape, with displays looking at traditions, cultures, and natural values. It is a museum with a positive message, encouraging the cooperation between human development and environmental conservation.

Cuitadella Municipal Museum of Bastio de sa Font (Placa de sa Font, Ciutadella)

This is a bit of a distance from the Cala Galdana villas, but well worth the journey. It is a great way to see how the architectural construction of buildings has played a part in the island's history. The Cuitadella Municipal Museum of Bastio de sa Font is housed in a military bastion that was completed in 1677, and which functioned to guard the gates of the Medieval walls that enclose the city of Cuitadella. Inside the building there has been much restoration and, since 1995, these large rooms have been the main exhibition area of the museum. Here you can find fantastic displays of the island's history, from the prehistoric age up to 1287 – the year of the island's integration with the Aragon Crown.

Brenda Jaaback is the Managing Director of Bartle Holidays. They can provide you with a wide selection of Cala Galdana villas for your holiday on Menorca. Bartle Holidays makes no warranty as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and excludes any liability of any kind for the information.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.