Over time, the awareness of the role of Catalan merchants in the slave trade between Europe and America has been permeating the popular imagination, and today it is more or less known this dark role that Catalonia played in one of the most serious episodes of modern history.
But there is still a lack of information on the subject, which is why the Maritime Museum of Barcelona now opens a window on this episode with its exhibition La infamia, which delves into the involvement of Catalan merchants in the Atlantic slave trade and how the profits obtained in Cuba and Puerto Rico contributed to the country’s economic development in the 19th century.
The museum explains that , while in Europe the colonial past has been under review for years, in Spain the debate has been slow to open up. It has also been largely thanks to the presence of descendants of the former Spanish colonies in today’s society that this debate has been revived.
The exhibition seeks to challenge the public, generating a critical reflection on the consequences of this legacy in the form of structural racism and inequality, exhibiting not only historical documents and objects, but also complementing them with activities and performances that broaden the debate.
📍Maritime Museum of Barcelona
📅From 02/21/2025 to 10/05/2025
💸 General 10€, reduced 5€, regular discounts