Spain's second-most important art museum after the Prado, housed in a former convent. The collection of Sevillian Golden Age painting — Murillo, Zurbarán, Valdés Leal — is unmatched anywhere. Free admission for EU citizens.
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The Murillo rooms are the highlight — he is Sevilla's painter, and these works stayed in the city. Zurbarán's monastic series is powerful in the ex-convent context. The building itself, a 17th-century Convento de la Merced, is worth studying — courtyards, tile work, and architecture that complements the collection. Budget at least 90 minutes.
Weekday mornings for the quietest experience. Reopened in 2024 after renovations — verify hours online. Free admission for EU citizens makes this an exceptional value.
Founded in 1839 after convents were dissolved and art was nationalized. The collection focuses on Sevillian painting from the Golden Age (15th-17th centuries) when the city was Spain's wealthiest port. Murillo, Zurbarán, and Valdés Leal are the stars, but lesser-known painters like Juan de Roelas are revelations. The museum is criminally undervisited compared to the Cathedral and Alcázar. If you care about Spanish Baroque painting, this is essential.