The Catalan Government has agreed to assign ‘BCIN’ Cultural Site of National Interest status to the Capellades Paper Mill Museum in the Anoia district, under the Historical Monument category, while also defining its scope of protection. This is the highest level of protection afforded by the Catalan Government, granting the facility recognition as one of the most significant sites in Catalonia, since the building still performs a living industrial role. The scope of BCIN protection fulfils criteria based on the proper presentation and integration of the mill within its urban context, essentially defined by the adjacent properties and the nearby buildings.
The Capellades Paper Mill Museum is one of the sectional museums of the National Science and Technology Museum of Catalonia. A living, active site which not only serves to educate and to showcase heritage, but also authentically preserves the building and maintains the original manufacturing process, alongside period machinery. The museum also houses a great many examples of furniture, machinery and utensils of historical importance used in the business of making paper.
The building fully maintains the original construction characteristics of Catalan paper mills, while at the same time incorporating new constructive elements, such as the use of cast iron columns on the upper floors, in place of the traditional brickwork pillars. Its considerable size is likewise noteworthy, making it one of the largest papermaking facilities in the district.
The collections and documentation preserved at the museum mean it is one of the most important institutions worldwide focused on the study and dissemination of every facet of paper. The various exhibitions it organises provide an insight into the history of paper from the earliest days down to modern manufacturing processes, from handmade paper to the links between paper and printing.
The Paper Mill Museum also develops other aspects, as well as maintaining the tradition of making paper by hand. It is, for example, working on the creation of a range of innovative papers in response to current market demands, as well as special papers produced to order.
