Valencia History Museum facts for kids
| Museo de historia de Valencia | |
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| Established | May 7, 2003 |
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| Location | C/ Valencia, 42 Mislata, Valencia, Spain |
The Valencia History Museum (also known as MhV) opened its doors on May 7, 2003. Its main goal is to teach visitors all about the exciting history of Valencia, a city in Spain. The museum makes learning about the past fun and easy to understand. It uses both classic museum displays and cool new technology to show how Valencia has grown over time.
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Discovering Valencia's Past
The Valencia History Museum was officially started on January 12, 2001. Its big mission is to share the story of Valencia, from its very first days until now. It does this by showing off amazing items from the city's past, including old artifacts, artworks, and cultural treasures.
The museum wants to make Valencia's history feel real and exciting for everyone. It doesn't just focus on dates, battles, or famous people. Instead, it helps you understand the everyday lives of people, why things happened, and the ideas that shaped the city.
In 2003, the museum was even named "Cultural Project of the Year" by a group called “Diputación de Valencia”!
The Museum Building
The museum is located inside a very special building. It used to be Valencia's first underground water reservoir! This huge tank was built in 1850 by two clever people, Ildefonso Cerdá and Leodegario Marchessaux. It was the first of its kind in all of Spain.
The building is made entirely of brick and is a great example of old industrial architecture from the 1800s. The city council worked hard to restore it between 1998 and 2001, turning it into the museum you see today.
Even though the museum is a little outside the oldest part of the city, it's easy to get to. There's a park called Parque de Cabecera less than 100 meters away, which connects you to the city center. Many schools in Valencia bring their students here to learn about Spanish culture and language.
What You Can See and Do
The Valencia History Museum has a permanent exhibition that tells the story of Valencia through eight different time periods. Imagine traveling through time!
- Valentia (138 BC to 711 AD)
- Balansiya (711 to 1238)
- Valencia in the Middle Ages (1238 to 1519)
- From the “Germanías” to the “Nueva Planta” (1519 to 1707)
- The Borbonicus City (1707 to 1833)
- The City of Steam (1833 to 1917)
- Truncated Modernity (1917 to 1975)
- The Valencia We Know (1975 to 2003)
In each time period section, you'll find a collection of objects, documents, and artworks. These items help show what life was like back then. In the middle of each section, there are special displays that recreate historical scenes from the city. You can watch everyday moments and learn about people from that time. It's like a mix of a museum and a movie theater!
The museum's displays feature a wide range of items. You'll see ancient archaeological finds, beautiful artworks, old documents, books, maps, posters, machines, vehicles, and even toys. These items are chosen not just because they are valuable, but because they help tell the story of different moments in history.
The MhV also hosts special temporary exhibitions about Valencia's history. Plus, they have educational programs for all ages, including guided tours and fun workshops.
The Time Machine
One of the coolest parts of the museum is "La máquina del tiempo" (The Time Machine). This area uses virtual reality to show you how Valencia looked throughout its 22 centuries of history. You can pick a time period and fly over the city like a bird, getting tons of historical facts as you go.
The Mediateca
Finally, there's the "Mediateca" (media library). This is a calm space where you can relax and think. You can listen to poetry or music from different historical periods, look at old photos of Valencia and its people, or read books about the city. It's a perfect spot to take a break and soak in more history.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de historia de Valencia para niños
