'SEAT: Factory of Transformations' Exhibition
5 June 2026 – 27 February 2027 · 10:00
Castell de Montjuïc, el Poble-sec, Sants-Montjuïc
The exhibition portrays how the company SEAT triggered a series of profound transformations that extended far beyond the automotive sphere. The establishment of SEAT had a decisive impact on the country's economy, urban planning, architecture, culture and politics, becoming a central actor in the modernisation of Catalan and Spanish society. Divided into five sections, the exhibition begins with the reasons that led to the factory being established in Barcelona, a development that accelerated the industrialisation of Zona Franca and drove the creation of a modern industrial settlement in today's Marina neighbourhood. This process positioned the company as a symbol of the Franco regime at a time of economic opening and the redefinition of international alliances. One of the exhibition's main themes is the analysis of mechanisms of control over workers and the clandestine struggle of the workers' commissions. Labour demands at SEAT became a pioneering element within the workers' movement for democracy. The exhibition pays particular attention to the strike of 18 October 1971, which culminated in the police occupation of the factory and the shooting death of worker Antonio Ruiz…
Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona · checked on 8 September 2026