Barcelona is much more than Gaudí and his countless modernist wonders; If culture is your thing, you will love knowing that the Catalan capital puts in your hands 55 museums dedicated to the most varied themes: art, science, sport, history … It will take you a long time to visit them all, without a doubt, but this will be another pretext so that your next visit to Barcelona is not the last.
Be sure to devote a morning or afternoon to this tourist proposal and it will be a success. Of course: the museum offer is so extensive that it will cost you to decide. Therefore, to help you with your choice, we bring you some suggestions that will make your trip to Barcelona a unique experience. Pay attention to our selection of the 10 best museums that you can not miss.
PICASSO MUSEUM
With a collection of more than 3,500 works, this institution gathers the largest Picasso collection in the world. Located in an elegant residential palace in Montcada Street, in El Born, the museum exhibits works of youth of the Malaga genius, its series Las Meninas and the paintings known as Los pichones, made in the studio of La Californie, in Cannes. More than a million people visit it annually, which makes it one of the most successful museums in Barcelona. Admission is free on the first Sunday of each month (although the day may vary in peak seasons), and every Sunday afternoon.
MUSEUM OF SAGRADA FAMILIA
More than 4.5 million people. That is the stratospheric number of visitors that year after year passes through the Sagrada Familia, the Gaudí masterpiece. Despite being an unfinished construction – its completion is scheduled for 2026, the date on which 100 years of Gaudí’s death will be celebrated – the tourist attraction of this modernist basilica is indisputable. And it benefits from its museum, where sketches, drawings, plans and photographs of some buildings designed by the most universal architect of Reus are exhibited.
FC BARCELONA MUSEUM
Located in the Camp Nou, in the upper area of the city, this museum is a must for fans of the Barça club and sports in general. Touring its halls, football lovers will enjoy watching the trophies won by all sections of FC Barcelona, designated by UEFA at the end of 2017 as the best team of the 21st century. Also, you can see equipment, balls and photographs of the time. About 2 million people visit it every year. Are you going to let them tell you?
BARCELONA MARITIME MUSEUM (MMB)
Very close to the Ramblas and the old Royal Shipyards (the old shipyard of the City), you will find the maritime museum. Its interior houses a spectacular collection of old and modern ships, nautical charts from around the world, navigation equipment, diving equipment and many other interesting objects directly or indirectly related to the sea. In addition, the MMB also organizes temporary exhibitions on other topics, such as Pharaonic Egypt, Viking culture, the Titanic or the Game of Thrones series.
FREDERIC MARÈS MUSEUM (MFM)
This peculiar collector’s museum is located in the heart of the Gòtic neighborhood: specifically, in the Plaza de Sant Iu, 5, in a room of the Palacio Real Mayor. Its dependencies give space to the collection donated to the city by the Catalan sculptor Frederic Marès Deulovol. Opened in 1948, the MFM has a magnificent display of Romanesque, Gothic and transitional carvings, valuable pieces of Arab and Baroque art and countless collections of the most diverse: tram tickets, pipes, fans … Do not miss out on discovering it.
BARCELONA’S HISTORY MUSEUM (MUHBA)
Its various venues – such as the Monumental Ensemble of the Plaza del Rei, the Verdaguer Museum-House, the Espai Santa Caterina, the Interpretation Center of the Call or the Refugio 307 – make this museum a must-see with more than 2,000 years of life of Barcelona. If you have little time, we advise you to prioritize the area of the Plaza del Rei, where you can walk through the ancient Roman city of Barcino and see the vestiges of a Visigothic basilica, as well as many other archaeological finds of interest.
CATALONIA’S ART (MNAC)
Located in the National Palace and emerged in 1990 from the union of two museums, you can see the collection of the most important Romanesque painting in the world. This includes the well-known Christ in Majesty of Sant Climent de Taüll, from the 12th century, as well as important carvings from this period. Its facilities also accommodate Baroque and Modernist works, as well as a collection of numismatics and temporary exhibitions that help to become familiar with artistic production in Catalonia, Spain and Europe. The museum is free every Saturday afternoon.
FUNDACIÓ JOAN MIRÓ
Another of the great claims of Montjuïc is this museum dedicated to Joan Miró, one of the most universal Catalan painters. It houses more than 10,000 pieces, including canvases, sculptures, tapestries, sketches and drawings, which allows us to approach the different creative stages of the unique artist from Barcelona.
CAIXAFÒRUM
On the avenue of Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia another interesting space awaits you: CaixaFòrum, an exhibition that organizes temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and culture in collaboration with prestigious international museums. His offer is completed with that of CosmoCaixa, the old science museum in Barcelona, on Isaac Newton Street. In both cases, the entrance is free for the clients of the proprietary bank.
DISSENY HUB BARCELONA
In Plaza de las Glòries, very close to our apartments on the beach of Barcelona, you have at your disposal this interesting design museum. Relax admiring collections of ceramics, furniture and period dresses, samples of industrial design, advertising posters that cover much of the twentieth century … Definitely, it’s worth it.
We would need much more space to summarize all the museums in Barcelona that should be known: the Museu d’Història de Catalunya, the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), the Museu Diocesà, the Blau (museum of natural sciences), the Museum d’Arqueologia de Catalunya, the Contemporary Culture Center of Barcelona (CCCB), the Tàpies Foundation, the Egyptian Museum, the Museu de la Música, the Erotic Museum, the Joan Antoni Samaranch Olympic and Sports Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, the Museu de les Cultures del Món, the Museu Europeu d’Art Modern, the Museu de la Xocolata, the Museu dels Autòmats del Tibidabo, the Museu del Mamut, the Museu Can Framis, also in Poblenou …
Of course, do not forget that Barcelona is not far from the spectacular Dalí Museum Theater of Figueres.
In any case, if you think we have left out any outstanding proposal, we encourage you to share it with us.
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