The shop El Ingenio, located on Rauric street and founded in 1838, is set to reopen its doors in approximately 15 months. The Barcelona City Council, owner of the premises since 2021, has announced that adaptation works will begin this autumn and are expected to be completed by Christmas 2027. At that time, the space will become the headquarters of the Associació de Pessebristes de Barcelona (Barcelona Nativity Scene Association).
El Ingenio permanently closed in 2016 after several attempts at continuity. The council acquired the premises, protected as an emblematic business, as part of the ‘Amunt persianes’ program to boost quality commerce and preserve Barcelona's artisan heritage. The City Council had already invested 600,000 euros in 2025 for maintenance work on the building, constructed in the mid-19th century.
The Associació de Pessebristes de Barcelona, considered the world's oldest with activity since 1863, will move its current headquarters from Lledó street, which has an expiry date due to the sale of the building by the owning nuns. The new headquarters in Rauric will span 392 square meters, divided into three connected spaces, which will house an interpretation center for nativity scene art.
In addition to the nativity scene association, the premises will also be shared by the Federació Catalana de Pessebristes (Catalan Federation of Nativity Scene Makers) and likely the Fira de Santa Llúcia (Saint Lucy's Fair). Temporarily, the Federació Internacional de Pessebres (International Federation of Nativity Scenes) will also be headquartered there. The space will be divided into an exhibition area open to the public, a workshop for training, and a social headquarters with storage.
