Elena Juncosa: "The MNAT will reopen after the most important restoration in its history"

TarragonaThe Archaeological Complex of TarracoThe Plaça del Rei, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, is one of the most important testimonies to the Roman presence on the Iberian Peninsula and in the western Mediterranean. It is an invaluable heritage, and the institutions that preserve it have experienced some turbulent years. The National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona (MNAT) closed the Plaça del Rei space in 2018, and eight years later, the plan is to reopen it at the end of 2026 with a new museography after an investment of more than 9.2 million euros. Meanwhile, the NecropolisThe site, containing 2,051 tombs spanning from the 3rd to the mid-5th century, is also undergoing renovations, with an investment of 8.9 million euros. This open-air burial complex is the most important in the Mediterranean and was already closed for an extended period, from 1992 to 2012. It is expected to partially reopen in June. These are just some of the challenges facing Elena Juncosa, who in January took over from Mònica Borrell At the helm of the MNAT. Selected through a public competition, she was director of the Mas Miró Foundation (2015-2025), and will be responsible for managing not only the museum and the necropolis, but also all the dependent monuments and archaeological sites: the Tarraco theater, the Tower of the Scipios, the Mèdolc quarry, the old town, and the Arch of Berà.

How are you facing the challenge of directing the MNAT at a time with so many fronts open?

— It's a unique opportunity, but also a challenge. It's a complex and highly responsible moment, but also very stimulating, because it allows us to bring to fruition projects that have been in development for many years.

One of the major projects is the Necropolis. What stage is it at?

— The works are currently proceeding according to the schedule set by the Ministry of Culture. The goal is to complete the civil engineering work by June. It's important to note that this refers to the exterior. The museum design still needs to be tendered and implemented. In recent weeks, significant changes have already become visible, such as the roof renovations and the transformation of the surrounding area. All of this will allow for better integration of the space into the city. Furthermore, it will be an open space with free access for the public.

What will the visit to the Necropolis be like? Will it change the story?

— The narrative will largely remain the same. What will change most is the exterior presentation: the arrangement of the pieces will be different, and there will be new spaces such as the porticoed gallery, which will house elements that were previously scattered throughout the garden. But the interior museography is still pending.

Last September, the Consortium for the Management of Roman Heritage in Tarragona was created, with participation from the Catalan Government and the Tarragona City Council, and the involvement of the Ministry of Culture, the Tarragona Provincial Council, and the Archdiocese of Tarragona. Can the consortium help expedite projects and funding?

— The creation of the consortium responds to a long-standing demand from UNESCO: that World Heritage sites be managed under a unified system. Although it has not yet been formally established, an institutional agreement exists that should facilitate coordination, conservation, and dissemination of heritage. In principle, this should be a positive development.

And what about the museum in Plaça del Rei? Is there a schedule?

— The plan is to open it in the last quarter of 2026. The timeline is still being finalized because it's a complex project: it involves a new museography and the relocation of many pieces. The new museum will expand its collection from around 200 pieces to nearly 1,000, with a revamped museography that puts the pieces front and center and includes interactive resources to enhance understanding.

In Shed 4, the temporary space where it's located in the museum, as I mentioned, there are 200 pieces. Where will the 1,000 that will be on display with the new museography come from? Were they in storage?

— Some pieces are in storage, and others are being restored. One of the positive takeaways from such a long period of work is that we will reopen with more than 1,000 pieces after the most significant restoration in the museum's history. Never before has such a large-scale restoration campaign been undertaken, and we have invested more than one million euros in it.

Which pieces would you highlight?

— One of the most spectacular is the one known as Roof of the Munts stationsA collection of some 3,000 restored fragments forming a 15 m2 ceiling; it is unique outside the Italian peninsula. Also noteworthy are the sculptures, the armored figures (symbolizing military power) and toga-clad figures (representing civil power and, like the armored figures, intended for propaganda with images of power and dominion), from the Roman theater, which will be displayed in context for the first time, and more everyday pieces such as a domestic grille, which help to understand the context.

What will be the story of the new museum?

— The museum aims to be a gateway to Tarraco. Through its artifacts, it will explain the entire region and connect with other heritage sites. Different sections—domestic, social, and cultural—will allow visitors to understand Roman society and its relationship with the land. Needless to say, it will adopt a social perspective, taking into account the challenges of contemporary society. Traditional narratives have always focused on specific social groups, and we must broaden our perspective and be far more inclusive.

What idea will visitors to the museum take away about Tarraco's Roman past?

— I'm really looking forward to visiting other places and understanding that it's a very important reference point for Roman heritage in the Mediterranean.

What role will the search play?

— Research remains fundamental and is never enough. Much work is being done, for example, in digitization, which is also a tool for making heritage more accessible and understandable. Currently, there are several projects underway, such as the one at Centcelles, which seeks to determine the function of this monumental complex. It is the first research project led by the MNAT (National Museum of Tarragona) and is based on different hypotheses because we still don't know what it was. Some argue that it was a military camp, others maintain that it was a Roman villa, and still others claim that it was a mausoleum. In fact, it was called that for a while, but currently, and until we know for certain what it was, we describe it as the Roman Complex of Centcelles.

What impact might the reopening have on the number of visitors?

— In the last year before the closure, the museum received over 54,000 visitors. The temporary exhibition in Shed 4 attracted around 24,000. The much-anticipated reopening should recover and surpass these figures, although nowadays museums focus less on quantitative targets and more on the quality of the visitor experience.

You mentioned that there's a lack of a unified narrative. Is this one of the main challenges?

— Currently, there are many remains scattered throughout the territory, but with the existing urban layout, it is difficult to gain a comprehensive view. The new museum and the future consortium should help explain Tarraco as a unified whole and reinforce its role as a key center of Roman history in the Mediterranean. It should strengthen the idea that all the monuments are part of a single story.

Why has it taken so many years to complete the works?

— It's complex, and there are many spaces, each with its own needs. In this sense, coordination is crucial. But the fact that it's taken us so long doesn't mean we haven't done anything. There's been extensive restoration work, and we've made a significant leap forward. It's internal work that will be evident when we open.

Doesn't depending on different institutions complicate things?

— We don't depend on so many institutions. Simply put, it is a state museum with its management transferred to the Generalitat.