New home for ICAC in historic Tabacalera site
The Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICAC) will relocate to the Magatzem 6 building within Tarragona’s former tobacco factory complex by late 2029. The move follows approval of a €6.3 million investment by the Department of Research and Universities to rehabilitate the four-storey warehouse. Under a 50-year, rent-free concession granted by Tarragona City Council on 26 June, the city will transfer the building to the ICAC for long-term use. The new premises will expand the institute’s space from 1,308 m² to 3,122 m², enabling significant growth in research, storage, and public engagement.
Expanded facilities for research and public access
The renovated Magatzem 6 will house specialised laboratories, conservation and cleaning areas, offices, a 150-seat auditorium, library, and open spaces for citizens. The ground floor will host storage and conservation workspaces, while the first floor, described by ICAC director Josep Maria Palet as the 'jewel of the crown', will feature public-facing areas including meeting rooms and a science outreach zone. The second floor will be dedicated to offices, and the third will contain highly specialised laboratories currently unavailable at the existing site. A rooftop space will also be adapted for social and educational activities. An August 2025 structural assessment confirmed the building is in perfect condition, allowing renovation work to proceed without delays. The executive project design is nearing completion and is expected to be finalised by September 2025.
Construction timeline and funding
The public tender for construction is scheduled for October 2025, with the government set to approve the full funding allocation on Tuesday, 31 August 2026. Contract award is expected by the end of 2025, with construction beginning in early 2027 and lasting approximately two years. The €6.3 million investment covers full adaptation and equipment of the new site. The Generalitat will fund 100% of the project, following confirmation by President Salvador Illa and Mayor Rubén Viñuales in a meeting at the Palau de la Generalitat on 11 October 2024.
The move will strengthen our ties with the city and the territory, and open new opportunities for collaboration in research and heritage dissemination.
, Josep Maria Palet, Director, ICAC
Revitalising the Francolí district
The ICAC’s relocation forms a key part of the broader redevelopment of the Tabacalera site, vacant for nearly two decades. The project will anchor a new cultural and academic hub in the Francolí area, alongside the future state-funded Provincial Library, the new music conservatory by Tarragona County Council, and the EUSES training centre. Mayor Rubén Viñuales said the ICAC’s presence plays a crucial role in creating a new central zone along the Francolí river. The institute’s proximity to the Paleochristian Necropolis, one of Tarragona’s most iconic archaeological sites, is expected to foster new research and conservation partnerships. The current ICAC headquarters at Plaça del Fòrum will be vacated in late 2029, making way for Colla Xiquets de Tarragona to occupy the site once renovations are complete.
Reported by reusdigital.cat, icac.cat, diaridetarragona.com, Ràdio Ciutat de Tarragona, tarragonadigital.com, Tarragona21, Tarragona Ràdio, tarragonaradio.cat, diarimes.com, tarragona.cat, La Ciutat, elperiodico.com, Tarragona Digital, europapress.es.
