Boosting your Spanish Through Museums: Unlock Language Skills While Exploring Art and Culture

Boosting your Spanish Through Museums: Unlock Language Skills While Exploring Art and Culture
Artwork by @ArteNativos in Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània (CCCC) in Valencia, Spain.

When it comes to learning a language, any activity can become a good excuse to achieve it. If you are learning Spanish and living in Valencia, have you ever considered the great opportunity that visiting a Valencian museum offers for improving your language skills? When you step into these cultural spaces, you encounter works of art and historical objects that serve as true gateways to culture, offering diverse expressions of the artists’ perspectives, narrating stories and evoking emotions. After all, is not that what we seek when we set out to learn a new language? This article will explore different ways in which an exhibition hall can become a valuable tool for Spanish learners, both through the presentation of information about the displayed works and the interactions that may arise during the visit.

When you enter the museum, keep your eyes wide open! Not just to observe the works of art but also to read everything you can. The more you read, the more vocabulary you will learn and absorb, enabling you to use it in the future. In a museum, there are “readings” everywhere. The labels, those small signs accompanying the works, usually provide information about the title, the technique used by the artist, and the year and place of creation. Additionally, the explanatory brochure of the exhibition can be a valuable source of learning Spanish. We recommend that when visiting a museum, you dont hesitate to take one with you to dedicate some time to reading it. You are sure to find words and expressions you did not know, which will enrich your vocabulary.

Listen 

If you are a Spanish language student entering a museum, you should not only open your eyes but also your ears. Audioguides are a perfect option to practice your listening skillsin Spanish. These audioguides expand and detail the information found on the labels, and they can reveal interesting facts about the creation of a painting or explain how the historical context influenced the artists choice of technique. The voices on the audioguides typically speak clearly and slowly, making it easier to understand. If you dont grasp a fragment of the speech, do not worry: you can listen to it again. If the idea of the audioguide doesnt fully convince you, another recommended option is to join a guided tour in a group. This experience can be very interactive, allowing you to ask questions in Spanish language to the guide or engage in conversation with other visitors.

Write in Spanish

The next exercise requires a bit more creativity and can be done in writing or mentally. If you are a Spanish language learner visiting a museum, try to give a title to some of the artwork you come across with. You can also describe the painting or sculpture that attracts you. Pay attention to the colours and shapes that dominate the composition write them down. Once youve described the work, try to go a bit further: take time to observe and express what emotions it conveys to you. This practice will not only help you improve your vocabulary but also develop your analytical and expressive skills in Spanish.

Speak

If you go to the museum with someone, talk! Discuss what you see with other Spanish learners or the people accompanying you. If you are alone, share your experience later with friends or teachers, telling them which works impressed you and why. Commenting on what youve seen not only reinforces your learning process but also allows you to exchange ideas and opinions about art and culture.

Museums in Valencia

In the city of Valencia, you will find a wide variety of museums and exhibitions where you can practice the Spanish learning strategies we have discussed in this article. Some of them include the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia, the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM), the Center del Carmen (CCCC), and the Fallero Museum. When you visit them, remember that you are not only exploring art and history but also unlocking your Spanish language skills. 

Learn Spanish in Valencia in our school.:

Spanish & Valencia – Private Spanish Lessons- 

Calle del Mar 23-25 Valencia – Spain

Autor:  Marcel·la Giner

 Photo: Marcel·la Giner.

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