President Prohens Opens the Mallorca Railway Museum in Son Carrió
The Mallorca Railway Museum has officially opened its doors in Son Carrió, in the municipality of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar. The project has been promoted by the Balearic Government’s public railway company, Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca (SFM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Sant Llorenç Town Council and the FERROCAIB Foundation.
The President of the Balearic Islands Government, Margalida Prohens, inaugurated the museum alongside the Minister for Housing, Territory and Mobility, José Luis Mateo; the President of the Mallorca Island Council, Llorenç Galmés; and the Mayor of Sant Llorenç, Jaume Soler. Representatives from local councils, public institutions and the railway sector also attended the event.
Located in the former railway workshops of Son Carrió station, the museum aims to preserve, share and bring to life the history of rail transport in Mallorca while contributing to the cultural and economic vitality of the area. Its opening coincides with the 150th anniversary of the island’s first railway line between Palma and Inca, inaugurated in 1875. “This space combines history and technology, tradition and innovation. It is a living museum designed to inspire, educate and transport visitors into the past through a truly immersive experience,” said President Prohens during the inauguration.
An Immersive Experience
The Mallorca Railway Museum combines reality and digital technology through large-scale projections, holograms, immersive sound, digital mapping and sensory effects such as locomotive steam, creating a unique visitor experience. The journey begins in a recreated nineteenth-century railway station, where visitors discover the history of the railway through immersive projections and holographic characters. Visitors are then invited aboard a restored historic carriage for a symbolic journey through Mallorca’s past, guided by engineer Eusebi Estada, the visionary behind the island’s original railway network.
The visit concludes in an interactive area dedicated to the professions and people who helped shape Mallorca’s railway history. The museum has been funded through the European Union’s Next Generation EU programme, with an investment of almost €3.7 million aimed at strengthening cultural tourism and heritage projects within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The opening of the museum marks the culmination of a project that began in 2012, when the former railway workshops were transferred to the FERROCAIB Foundation to support the preservation and promotion of Mallorca’s railway heritage.
Social Commitment and Inclusion
The Mallorca Railway Museum is also a model of social commitment and inclusion.
The museum is managed by 3 Salut Mental, a partnership formed by Estel de Llevant, Fundació Es Garrover and Associació Gira-Sol, organisations that have spent more than thirty years supporting people with mental health conditions and their families. Through this management model, the museum creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities and promotes greater awareness of mental health within society. As a result, the museum not only preserves railway heritage but also serves as a space for inclusion, solidarity and equal opportunities.
Family Activities and Public Celebration
The museum opened to visitors on 12 November and operates from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm during the winter season. Admission is free during the opening week. To celebrate the inauguration, a family festival with children’s activities will take place on Saturday 15 November. The museum combines heritage and new technologies to help visitors discover the stories, memories and experiences that shaped Mallorca’s railway history, creating an engaging experience for all generations.
