The Archive manages different document collections closely associated with the maritime history of Barcelona, organized according to their origin: records from companies, associations and foundations, local administrations, peripheral state administrations, and collections from individuals or institutions. Permission to view or reproduce documents will be subject to their state of conservation and current laws (protection of personal information, authorship rights, etc.).
Guide to historical archival fonds
GUILD OF BASTAIXOS, SEA PORTERS AND CART DRIVERS OF BARCELONA, 1346-1936
The association, created at the end of the 13th century, grouped together the merchandise transport professionals – also known as “faquins” or “camàlics” – arriving to the coast of Barcelona.
The fond is composed of documentation produced and received by the guild and its members who were in charge of safeguarding the interests of the members and the establishment of regulatory standards. The documentation on lawsuits and litigation and on accounting is particularly stands out.
PORT OF BARCELONA, 1822-2002
The fond contains the historical documentation produced and collected by the Port of Barcelona from the period of management of the Port Works Board (1868-1978), created to obtain resources and funding for the Port works and to complete its construction.
This includes the documentation produced by the economic and financial activity, the documentation from the Secretary’s Office, the projects and files on works, the concessions and, in general, the documentation produced by the activity of the port organisation. The collection includes historical documentation linked to some Catalan lighthouses.
TALLERES NUEVO VULCANO, 1841-1995
The shipbuilding company, founded in 1841 under the name of Sociedad Anónima de Navegación e Industria [Public Limited Company of Navigation and Industry], was a pioneer in the manufacture of steam engines applied to the textile and shipbuilding industry in Spain. Throughout its history it has been linked to the Compañía Trasmediterránea, the Unión Naval de Levante [Levante Naval Union] and the Unión Naval Barcelona [Barcelona Naval Union].
The collection highlights shipbuilding and ship repair projects and the photographic material produced internally to document the work carried out. It includes documents from Astilleros de Tarragona [Tarragona Shipyards].
COMPAÑÍA TRASATLÁNTICA S.A., 1861-1990
The archive from the shipping line allows us to trace the history of the transport of troops to the Antillean colonies – Cuba and Puerto Rico – and the Philippines, during the period of the colonial wars (1860-1898) and later all the transport for the repatriation of soldiers. In the 20th century, the Trasatlántica was devoted to the transport of emigrant passengers to Havana, New York, Buenos Aires, Manila…
The documentation related to the royal orders, fleet management, external relations, personnel management and the general administration of the company is particularly noteworthy. Ship plans, advertising and on-board menus can also be found.
ORGANISATION OF PORT WORKS
1939-2002
A fond of the documentation produced on the management and organisation of work at the port of Barcelona. The most extensive documentation, apart from the organisation’s own administration, is that of personnel management
CATALAN COLLEGE OF JUDGES AND REGATTAS JURIES
1968-1996
Documentary fond that brings together the acts of the Board, aspects related to regulations on the arbitration of regattas as well as the management of the members of the College.
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATALAN SAIL SKATING
1934-2019
This archive allows us to get to know the organisation that, since 1951, has been promoting and disseminating patín a vela. In addition to the constituent and administrative documents, there are legal aspects, competitions, public projection and information resources on this type of vessel.
ASTILLEROS CARDONA
1915-1973
A fond about this shipbuilding company founded in 1850 in Barcelona that was taken over by Astilleros Viudes S.L. in 1980. It built reproductions of the Santa Maria (1894 and 1964), the Pinta and the Niña, (1892, 1964 and 1968) and the Galera Reial de D. Joan d’Àustria for the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, in 1971.
The collection contains mainly shipbuilding plans.
SAYREMAR UNO
1918-1997
It compiles the documentation on board the current Pailebot Santa Eulàlia, from its launch until it was acquired by the Maritime Museum of Barcelona in 1997.
It contains logbooks, documents on technical transformations and maintenance and on the maritime rescue activity.
BARCELONA AGENCIA MARÍTIMA (DAHL)
1945-2005
It allows us to get to know the organisation and functions of the consignatory company founded in Barcelona in 1945.
It contains the company’s accounting and tax documentation, records of services rendered to clients and circulars from the Associació d’Agents Consignataris de Vaixells de Barcelona [Barcelona Association of Shipbrokers] and the Port of Barcelona.
PRONAME S.L.
1950-2011
Archive of the naval engineering technical office that built and carried out refurbishment projects, stability and flag studies. It also offers naval consultancy services.
It is an important collection of naval maps of yachts, boats, fishing boats and motorboats, among others.
ROMEO, RIBOT Y COMPAÑÍA
1902-1982
A collection of this company founded in 1922 whose headquarters were in Barcelona. The company was dedicated to import, international transit, management as a customs agent and as a consignee. It has deeds of transfer of powers of attorney, of representation of the company, of purchase and sale and accounting documents.
MUTUAL NAVIERA MEDITERRÁNEA
1946-1963
Reports of the Board of Directors and financial years. The employers’ mutual insurance company for occupational accidents was dissolved in 1970.
MODELOS NAVALES RIERA
1949-2016
Large volume of boat plans used to make the models, the templates of the scale books and photographic documents. The collection includes the management documentation of the Barcelona-based company.
ANTONIO TAYÀ
1939-1984
The largest volume of documentation in this collection is made up of the navigation and non-navigation policies. There are accident, fire, merchandise, civil liability, theft, vehicle and life insurance policies. The rest of the documents are linked to economic and personal activity management.
LÍNEA DE VAPORES TINTORÉ
1852-2004
Documentary collection of the shipping company that operated between 1852 and 1916 and that was to co-found Compañía Trasmediterránea.
It includes the management of the fleet and the management of the company itself, from the constitutive documents to the acts of the Board, including personnel, correspondence and economic administration.
FERRAN ARRANZ I CASAUS
1914-1976
Compilation of documentation resulting from his work as a captain in the merchant navy, teacher at the Barcelona Nautical School and director of the Maritime Museum of Barcelona between 1937 and 1939.
The autobiographical notes, which illustrate both the beginnings of the Maritime Museum of Barcelona during the Civil War and the purging process in the Merchant Navy during the post-war period, and the sailing diaries, are particularly noteworthy.
JOSEP CARROGGIO
1918-1979
Source of information to study different shipbuilding companies through advertising forms, ship cover plans, press releases and other documentary groupings. The collection’s dates indicate the extreme chronology of the documents collected by Carroggio.
ENRIC CUBAS I OLIVER
1940-1956
Collection of numerous handwritten notes and copies of documents of maritime interest held in other institutions. The chronology of the documents is situated in the years in which Cubas worked professionally at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, of which he was director between 1949 and 1958.
JOSEP M. GAVALDÀ I CABRÉ
1801-1970
Personal archive of a specialist in Merchant and War Navy.
It is a collection of copies and notes of documents held in other cultural centres, correspondence, press reviews, magazines, leaflets, guides and other publications. In general terms, it contains information resources for the study of maritime issues.
JOAN SOLDEVILA I CANTÓ
1767-1952
preserves part of the documentation related to the literary activity of the producer, naval engineer and expert ship surveyor, and of his findings as a collector. The collection’s dates indicate the extreme chronology of the documents collected.
AMBROSIO DÍAZ GÓMEZ
1877-1911
It contains documentation related to the profession of carrabiner in the port of Barcelona. They highlight reports and seizures for illegal trafficking and smuggling, controls carried out at the Port, reports, notes describing the work and personal reflections.
JAUME COLOMER I MONSET
1852-1992
Collection of articles, curiosities and correspondence about Christopher Columbus.
CAMIL BUSQUETS I VILANOVA
1947-1997
Along with the personal documentation, the collection gathers acts of the Club de Modelisme Naval [Naval Modelling Club] and management of its members, inscriptions to competitions, correspondence, as well as documentation related to naval modelling such as regulations, press releases and ship plans, among others.
Activities
ALMANAC
A collection of historical anniversaries related to the maritime world, and reported on the day of the event through social networks.
Pere de Prada i Arana
ARCHIVE DROPLETS
A regular publication focused on an archive collection managed by MMB. It also takes the form of a physical installation at the entrance to the Museum and an informational digital handout
Pere de Prada i Arana
SEMINARS
We organize gatherings to share experiences and knowledge on document management, information, archives and data management, and to learn from professionals from other areas or institutions.
Pere de Prada i Arana
PUBLICATIONS
A collection of articles and publications by the technical staff of the archive service on archives, document management and information management.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Who can consult documents in the archive?
The archive is a free and public service for anyone with scientific or personal interest. Access to documents is regulated by the general regulations on access to documents.
Can I do long-distance research?
Documents are to be viewed in person during the opening hours of the archive. However, in cases where you would like to view a specific document, you can request a reproduction of the same once you have paid the corresponding fees. See the document on conditions for reproducing and using documents (DOC_2)
Can I photograph documents with my digital camera or mobile phone?
Yes, with permission from Archive staff and in keeping with current legislation.
The reproduction service by Museum staff and using Museum resources is subject to the fees approved by the MMB. See the document on conditions for reproducing and using documents.
Do you have passenger lists?
The MMB has two passenger lists:
Bulletin of the Compañía Trasatlántica of Barcelona 1892-1894
Vapor Habana. Mediterranean – New York – Havana, 02/10/1946.
Ledger of passenger fees. Going and returning. Veracruz-Bilbao, Bilbao-Veracruz, January-August 1936.
We recommend that you view the resources compiled by Movimientos Migratorios Iberoamericanos.
What are the opening hours of the archive?
Mornings from Monday-Friday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Wednesday afternoon, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
Can I access the archive at other times?
Yes. You will need to set up an appointment with archive staff.
What can I do if I don’t find what I’m looking for?
You can send us a message with your query at informació@mmb.cat
