The Government creates the National Museum of Performing Arts, a new institution that succeeds the National Theater Museum

He National Theater Museum (MNT), based in Almagro (Ciudad Real), has become the new National Museum of Performing Arts, as published this Wednesday by the Official State Gazette (BOE), in accordance with the Royal Decree of the Ministry of Culture.

The new institution will be a museum of state ownership and national category based in the Palacio de los Maestres de Calatrava, in the city of Almagro, attached to the Ministry of Culture through the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM). .

Culture points out that the name of the MNT does not “correspond” with the current reality of its collections and exhibitions, “since it reflects only the theatrical field without including the rest of the performing arts: music, dance and circus“. Therefore, Culture considers it necessary that the name of the museum be in accordance “with its reality.”

The collection of the National Museum of Performing Arts will be made up of the funds that are currently kept in the MNT. In this sense, it is considered “unquestionable and accredited” the relevance and notoriety of the collection which, since the creation of the MNT, has been formed and which highlights “both for its specialty in its thematic field and for its unique testimonial value in the history of the performing arts in Spain.”

“The purpose of the museum, added to the importance of the collections, gives this state-owned museum a singular relevance, as there is no other museum institution within the scope of the General Administration of the State specialized in the scenic heritage of this country”says the Ministry of Culture.

The functions of the National Museum of Performing Arts will be to preserve the cultural assets that are part of its collections; document and catalog assets with scientific criteria; prepare, edit and publish studies on its collections; display your collections; organize scientific and informative exhibitions in accordance with the nature of the museum, among others.

The entire collection of the art gallery is related to the history of the performing arts in Spain: paintings, sculptures, works on paper (sets, figurines, engravings and drawings), decorated models and puppets; The documentary collections include photographs, documents, manuscripts and plans.

However, the BOE adds that, of all the collections that make up the MNT’s heritage, it is the musical archive that “enjoys the greatest richness and historical interest”, since it gave rise to the formation of this entity. Its volume amounts to more than 20,000 scores, divided into Spanish and foreign music from the 19th and 20th centuries, being an “essential” archive for knowledge of the history of music in Spain.

The MNT has been closed to the public since November 7, 2023 to begin renovation works on its facilities. It is expected that the estimated duration of this action will not exceed 14 months.