Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
the United States
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
South Africa
Australia
Fiji
Museum · Alicante, Comunidade Valenciana
MARQ Museo Arqueológico de Alicante
Archaeological museum in the former Hospital de San Juan de Dios, with rooms about the Iberians, the Romans of Lucentum, Muslim Alicante and underwater archaeology.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About MARQ Museo Arqueológico de Alicante
The MARQ, Museo Arqueológico de Alicante, occupies the former Hospital de San Juan de Dios in the Benalúa neighborhood. It was reorganised in 2000 with light and sound displays that help to understand each era, and in 2004 it received the European Museum of the Year award from the Council of Europe.
The permanent rooms cover prehistory, with tools and ceramics from the province's caves; the Iberian culture, with sculptures and sanctuary pieces; the Roman period, with the cities of Lucentum (Roman Alicante) and Ilici in Elche; the medieval period, both Christian and Muslim; and the modern and contemporary eras.
One room is devoted to underwater archaeology, with amphorae and remains of shipwrecks from the coast. There are also rooms about field archaeology that show how an excavation is carried out and how finds are dated.
The museum regularly hosts large temporary exhibitions with items from other countries, and organises visits to archaeological sites in the city, such as Lucentum and the Illeta dels Banyets, in El Campello.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 1.5 to 2 hours.
Best time
At midday to avoid the sun, or on a cloudy day. It is closed one day a week; check opening hours.
How to get there
It is on Plaza Doctor Gómez Ulla, near the Mercado Central, about 1.5 km from the Explanada. The TRAM has a stop called MARQ next to the museum.
Tip
Check the website for temporary exhibitions, which often have combined tickets. If you're interested in archaeology, ask about visits to Lucentum, Roman Alicante, in the Albufereta neighbourhood.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about MARQ Museo Arqueológico de Alicante
Is the MARQ good for someone who doesn't know archaeology?
Yes. The rooms use light, sound and video to explain each period, and the objects have short labels.
How to get to the MARQ by TRAM?
The TRAM has a stop called MARQ, next to the museum, a few minutes from the center.
What is Lucentum?
The Roman city that gave rise to Alicante, with ruins in the Albufereta neighborhood, about 4 km from the center.