Pere Bosch Gimpera and the MAC

Curated by Àngels Casanovas Romeu, curator of the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia , the temporary exhibition 'I Dreamed of a Museum. Pere Bosch Gimpera and the MAC' commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Pere Bosch Gimpera (Barcelona, 1891 – Mexico City, 1974), eminent prehistorian and archaeologist, promoter of the creation of the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia and its first director.

The exhibition invites us to explore the life and work of Pere Bosch Gimpera, one of the most prominent archaeologists in Catalonia, through a visual and documentary narrative. Divided into four areas and a finale, the show has as its common thread a selection of photographs from the MAC Photographic Archive, complemented by images from other files.

The exhibition discourse interweaves introductory texts with quotes from Bosch himself, who acts as the narrator of his own story. These quotes come from memoirs, excavation diaries, unpublished and published letters, as well as reports and other documents, and offer an intimate and personal vision of the archaeologist. All of these materials allow the visitor to get closer to the human figure behind the intellectual, revealing his thoughts, successes and the difficulties he faced. In addition to the photographs, the exhibition presents archaeological objects, relevant documents and a selection of the most important works from Bosch Gimpera's bibliography. The main topics covered include the birth of the Archaeological Research Service, the beginnings of the Museum of Archaeology, his role as a teacher and organizer and his relationships, both personal and professional. Finally, the climax takes the visitor beyond Catalonia, to explore the international influence he had. 'I Dreamed of a Museum' not only celebrates academic legacy, but also the ability to connect history with the present.

Pere Bosch Gimpera, quart a l'esquerra, a la Sala de Barcino, amb un grup de visitants pocs dies abans de la inauguració oficial del Museu Arqueològic de Catalunya (1935) . Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya