San Javier becomes an open-air museum with ‘El Prado en las Calles’

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San Javier becomes an open-air museum with ‘El Prado en las Calles’

  • Santiago de la Ribera will host some of the most iconic works from the Museo del Prado from 19 June to 19 July
  • Since 2019, the exhibition—promoted by the organisation—has travelled to numerous locations across Spain and continues its route through the Region following stops in Cehegín, Murcia and Lorca, before concluding in Mazarrón.

San Javier’s seafront promenade in Santiago de la Ribera has been transformed into an open-air museum with the arrival of the travelling exhibition The Prado in the Streets, an initiative designed to bring some of the Museo del Prado’s most celebrated masterpieces closer to the public.

The exhibition, which will be open from 19 June to 19 July, features fifty large-format reproductions of works by great masters of Western art, including Goya, Velázquez, Zurbarán, Rubens, Dürer, Rembrandt, Bosch, Caravaggio, Titian, and Sorolla. Each piece is accompanied by QR codes providing access to additional content on the Prado’s collections.

Organised by the Museo Nacional del Prado, San Javier City Council and the Regional Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports of Murcia, the exhibition invites residents and visitors alike to enjoy art in an accessible, open-air setting at the height of the summer season.

A cultural initiative that brings art closer to citizens

The opening ceremony was attended by José Miguel Luengo, Mayor of San Javier; Manuel Cebrián, Director of the Institute of Cultural Industries and the Arts of the Region of Murcia; Noelia Ibáñez Pérez, Head of Visitor Services at the Museo Nacional del Prado; and Ramón Castresana Sánchez, Director of Fundación Iberdrola España. Also present were David Martínez, Councillor for Culture of San Javier, and Miguel Ángel Cerdán, Iberdrola’s Institutional Delegate in the Region of Murcia.

During the inauguration, Mayor José Miguel Luengo highlighted the significance of hosting an exhibition that brings some of the Prado Museum’s most emblematic works closer to both residents and visitors. He emphasised that the initiative coincides with the peak tourist season and contributes to enhancing San Javier’s cultural offering, allowing art to be enjoyed in a public and accessible environment.

Ramón Castresana, Director of Fundación Iberdrola España, underlined the organisation’s commitment to cultural outreach:

“At Fundación Iberdrola España, we believe that art is a key driver of cultural, social, and educational development. With EL Prado en las Calles, we bring masterpieces closer to all audiences, promoting cultural inclusion and creating new opportunities for learning, while fostering universal access to the history of painting and its great masters.”

For his part, Manuel Cebrián stated that one of the regional government’s core priorities is to bring high-quality culture closer to local communities, ensuring it is accessible to all citizens—an objective shared with Fundación Iberdrola España and San Javier City Council through this initiative.

125 years of history and commitment

This initiative forms part of Iberdrola’s 125th anniversary celebrations in 2026, marked by an extensive programme of activities across Spain under the slogan 125 Years of Energy. The programme includes cultural and technological exhibitions, music festivals, and social events, as well as the illumination of landmark buildings, with the aim of sharing this milestone with employees, customers, shareholders, and society.

Fundación Iberdrola España, a Patron Member of the Museo del Prado

Fundación Iberdrola España plays a key role in preserving and promoting Spain’s cultural heritage. Since 2010, it has collaborated with the Museo del Prado in supporting conservation and restoration programmes, as well as funding annual scholarships for young restorers.

Since 2011, the Foundation has invested €13 million in art and culture initiatives, including artistic lighting projects for heritage buildings and monuments, and restoration programmes in leading museums. In the Region of Murcia, notable projects include the lighting of the Basilica of Vera Cruz in Caravaca de la Cruz, and ongoing collaborations with institutions such as the Roman Theatre Museum of Cartagena and the Salzillo Museum.