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From the treatment of "hysteria" to the symbol of sexual autonomy
One of the highlights of the programme will be the special guided tours, "The History of the Female Orgasm", led by the museum's sexologist, Sigrid Cervera, as part of her educational and cultural project Art and Sexology.
During the tour, visitors will discover how, during the 19th century, many doctors diagnosed numerous women with so-called "female hysteria" and what this diagnosis really has to do with the history of the vibrator.
Those devices, which today may seem almost unusual, made up some of the most surprising chapters in the history of sexuality and help us to understand how the way we perceive the female body, pleasure, and sexuality has radically changed. The tour will also trace the technological and cultural evolution of the vibrator until it became an object associated with wellbeing, bodily autonomy, and the assertion of female pleasure.
The orgasm: less pressure and more knowledge
The programme also aims to dismantle some of the most widespread myths about the orgasm.
"For decades we have turned the orgasm into a kind of final exam of sexuality, while in reality it forms part of a much broader experience", explains Sigrid Cervera, sexologist at the Museu de l'Eròtica de Barcelona (MEB).
From her perspective as a sexological adviser, Cervera points out that each person experiences pleasure in their own way, that there is no single way to experience an orgasm, and that its intensity or frequency does not determine the quality of a sex life.
Special activities during August and September
In addition to the already well-known Tours with Marilyn Monroe, the museum is offering various proposals aimed both at the local public and at international visitors.
• Competition "When Harry Met Sally": On August 8th, the museum will revive one of its most popular competitions inspired by the unforgettable scene starring Meg Ryan in the film When Harry Met Sally.
Throughout the day, anyone who wishes will be able to freely interpret the famous cinematic orgasm and compete to win their own special "Orgasmic Kit".
• Participatory installation: "Describe an orgasm in a single word": The museum will set up a participatory space where visitors can anonymously answer a very simple question:
"How would you describe an orgasm in one word?"
The aim will be to construct a large collective mural that reflects the vast diversity of experiences, emotions, and meanings associated with pleasure.
• Guided tours "The history of the female orgasm": By prior booking, MEB's sexologist, Sigrid Cervera, will offer a special tour focusing on the cultural history of the female orgasm, the historic collection of vibrators, and the evolution of ideas about pleasure from the 19th century to the present day.
Art, history, and sexology
The Museu de l'Eròtica de Barcelona (MEB) is an institution dedicated to research, dissemination, and cultural mediation around eroticism throughout history. Through works from different periods-from Japanese shunga to the historic collection of vibrators, as well as representations of female ecstasy in Western art-the museum seeks to help visitors understand how societies have represented, regulated, and transformed sexuality throughout time.
Practical information
Special programme: throughout August and September 2026.
- Featured activity included with museum entry: International Female Orgasm Day, August 8th.
- Special guided visits with the sexologist: by prior reservation.
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