This institution was founded in 1868 by Alcoy's industrial burgeoisie. Its a building, with a modernist Viennese façade, was designed by Timoteo Briet in 1904. The bees represent industrial work and the Muses, the artists. In addition, iron forged balconies with dangling circles and stucco design work complete its Sezessionist decoration. Inside, spaces are decorated in a Sezession or Art deco and Art nouveau style. The Library and the Salón Rotonda, below which lies the Gruta (cave), were built by V. Pascual in 1896, and are both outstanding.