Alhambra Ethnographic Museum

The Alhambra Ethnographic Museum offers a glimpse into the daily life of the town and the working methods that sustained the agricultural landscape of the Campo de Montiel region for generations. In contrast to the archaeological narrative, which focuses on the major historical periods of the territory, this museum allows us to examine recent history through simple objects: tools, household items, trade implements, and artifacts related to farming, home life, and small local economies.

The museum is organized into four main sections. The first is dedicated to agriculture, with pieces related to farming, including a threshing sledge, an object traditionally associated with wealthier households. The second section brings together other trades connected to rural life, such as livestock farming, hunting, beekeeping, carpentry, and blacksmithing. This section is particularly interesting because it showcases the diversity of jobs that complemented agricultural production and made life possible in a village with a traditional economy.

The third section recreates a typical La Mancha home and kitchen, complete with a fireplace, pans, a table with a charcoal brazier, a bed warmer, and other objects that help visitors imagine domestic life before the modernization of homes. Finally, the collections section brings together diverse materials, such as glass bottles from old local soda factories (Arias and La Peninsular), antique books, banknotes, and test tubes for measuring grape ripeness. The visit perfectly complements a tour of Alhambra, connecting rural history, traditional trades, and family life with the landscapes, paths, quarries, and monuments of the municipality.