The Refuge of Memory

Punta Begoña is home to a technologically pioneering structure that dominates the landscape, while also preserving a flysch cliff of outstanding geological value. Between the two lie stories that now survive only in the memories of those who lived them and of those fortunate enough to have heard them and chosen to preserve them. Like other parts of the Galleries, this space became a refuge in 1937 for families who, amid the horrors of war, sent their children here to shelter from the bombs that threatened the civilian population. What are now dark, confined spaces once offered comfort and protection to the community. For a brief period, the innovative design of the Galleries led many to see them as a bunker. Today, innovation once again takes centre stage. Through light, sound and storytelling, this space seeks to bring those memories back to life, helping us to understand the past so that we can build a better future.