Highlight visiting Menorca: International Art Center of Hauser & Wirth on the Isla del Rey in the port of Mahon

vista area de la isla del rey en puerto de Mahon con Hauser & Wirth
The entrance to the gallery part of the Hauser & Wirth Iinstallations on Isla del Rey in Mahon, Menorca


Hauser & Wirth Art Center in Port of Mahon

The harbor of Mahon is 6km long and hence the biggest natural port in the Mediterranean. On the biggest of the four islands within the port of Mahon, the world-class art gallery Hauser & Wirth from Switzerland opened a magnificent art center in 2021, which quickly became one of the MUST-SEE sites on the island of Menorca. It is definetly my favorite new thing on the island. It brings great people here that have style and education. 

About Hauser & Wirth

Manuela Hauser and Iwan Wirth are the couple from Switzerland that founded and still owns the gallery carrying their name, which has been one of the top art galleries in the world. Alongside Gagosian, Pace, and David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth is often cited as one of the “mega-galleries” shaping contemporary art globally. Their ability to balance commercial success with intellectual rigor sets them apart in a competitive field. There are no official numbers but people say they make more than 1 billion dollars in revenues. When going to a vernisage here one can witnesss billionaires from all over the world who are here with their private jets begging to buy one of the art works. It is amazing.   

What to expect from the Hauser & Wirth on the Isla Del Rey

On the island, the renowned gallery converted two former barracks into two beautiful exhibition halls full of light and peace. Usually, only one or two artists are on display, which makes the visit a fairly quick one, depending on the appetite to dive deep. A highlight certainly is the gardens surrounding the art center, which were designed by the world-famous landscaper Piet Oudolf. For me, the excellence of his work is expressed by my feeling that those gardens have always been there like this, which is not the case. If you want to spend more time on the island, there is one of my favorite restaurants on the island run by Hauser & Wirth called CANTINA – see our separate article. You can have lunch or dinner – seating is only outside, which is fine on nearly 100% of days. Food is of outstanding quality but also pricy compared to standard prices on the island. Finally, you can find a bookshop that sells a lot more than only books on the Hauser & Wirth artists. If you need a nice present, you might get lucky here.

How to get to the art center on Isla del Rey?

The Art Center can be reached using the pretty ugly Yellow Catamarans (7€ per person) or Water Taxi (WhatsApp), both depart just outside the office of Boat Charter Menorca S.L. at Moll de Llevant 81 in Mahon.

 

What does the visit to the Hauser & Wirth art center cost?

The visit to the exhibition itself is free of charge. The Yellow Catamaran costs €7 return. The water taxi is more like €15-20 per person. 

What else to see on the island “Isla del Rey”?

Don’t miss visiting the “Fundacion Hospital” on the Isla Del Rey. The beautiful building that can be seen from the city does not belong to the Art Center but is a former military hospital that has been beautifully restored by a large group of local volunteers from the island led by an amazing former spanish general over the past 20 years. Today it shows a nice exhibition on historical medical “technology” used in former times. A bit spooky but cool.

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