In the first millennium BC, the Iberian Peninsula, now Spain and Portugal, was inhabited by numerous peoples of different origins. While Celtic tribes settled in the west and centre of the peninsula, the habitat of various communities, collectively referred to as ‘Iberians’, stretched from the coasts of Andalusia in the south, across the entire east coast to the Languedoc region in southern France. The Iberians, descendants of the indigenous Spanish people, came into contact with different peoples who were foreign to them from around 500 BC: Greek city-states founded colonies along the coast, Phoenician traders brought exotic goods to the country and also began to settle here. The fascinating civilisation that emerged as a result eventually caught the attention of the Romans, who conquered Spain in the Second Punic War (218-201 BC).

The exhibition, conceived as a collaboration between the MAMUZ Museum Mistelbach and the Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya in Barcelona, with the support of the Antikenmuseum Basel and Sammlung Ludwig, is the first major Iberian exhibition to be shown in Austria. With more than 200 original objects and spectacular finds, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the mysterious world of the Iberians and the lives of the ancient peoples of Spain long before our time.

At a total of six stations, children are invited to explore the mysterious world of the Iberians in an interactive way. The focus is always on experiencing and actively participating.

Who were the Iberians? What writing system did they use, and can we still read their writing today? What was Iberian society like? What did their cities look like? What do we know about the production of purple dye? What animals lived on the Iberian Peninsula?

These topics are explored in a playful way. In addition, an exciting puzzle book guides visitors through the exhibition.

In collaboration with