Permanent Exhibition
The permanent exhibition is structured in several thematic spaces through four floors:
First floor
In the rooms located on the first floor contextualize the events of the 19th of July of 1808, day in which the French troops suffered their first defeat in open field throughout all of Europe, this event provided an injection of optimism and a referent for the combatants fighting for the freedom in Spain. This historical approach to the events of the Spanish War of Independence is presented in a pragmatic and visual level, through a journey portraying those six years of struggle and the consequences that it left in the Spanish territory. It counts with several panels that explain the event, a model of what the old village of Bailén was like in 1808, as well as audivisual content to aid the visitors' immersion into the history of Bailén.
Second floor
On the second floor, the visitor can access a dual presentation of the events that took place in Bailén, developed from the points of view on the evolution of the battle of the Spanish and French troops. The different Napoleonic campaigns are reviewed, and the strategies and composition of the french army discussed. All of this in order to put in context the intervention of the « Grande Armée » in Andalusian lands from the narrative of the expansionist policy of Napoleón Bonaparte.
On this floor, a collection of reproductons of the period's military uniforms can be found, highlighting the suits of the cuirassier and french voltigeur. Or, on the spanish side, the Reding's Swiss Regiment nº3, the grenadier of the Córdoba's Regiment, and the Jaén Infantry's Regiment uniforms.
A sketch-model of the battlefield, composed of around 1000 handpainted soldier miniatures made of tin, allows us to delve into the heroic feat that took place that Thursday 19th of July of 1808.
The concluding element that enhances this exhibition is the audiovisual content, where the principal biographic aspects of the protagonists of the Battle of Bailén are narrated: General Castaños, General Reding, French General Dupont and the heroine María Bellido.
Third floor
An archeological room shows a sequenced narration of the history of Bailén. The material culture from the Paleolithic, the Copper Age, the Roman Empire and the Islamic occupation show us testimonies of human evolution adapted to their historical moment and the characteristics of the landscape of Bailén.
This floor also analyzes aspects as relevant as its natural heritage, as well as its powerful pottery industry, the base of the construction sector in our country.
Basement
Dedicated to the activities of diffusion, it contains one of the greatest attractions of the museum, a model of the Battlefield transferred from the Army's Museum, on which an audiovisual project shows the most relevant phases of the battle. On this floor, donated by José María de Montells y Galán, you may also find a collection of caps and helmets. This floor is completed by a conference hall and a big temporary exhibitions hall.