Barcelona’s Top 10 : Museums

1. Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

   Discover
   Catalonia’s rich Romanesque and Gothic heritage at this impressive
   museum, housed in the 1929 Palau Nacional. Striking medieval frescoes –
   many culled from ancient Pyrenean churches – are the highlight. 

   
   

   
   
   

2. Fundació Joan Miró

   The
   airy, high-ceilinged galleries of this splendid museum are a fitting
   resting place for the bold, abstract works of Joan Miró, one of
   Catalonia’s most acclaimed 20th-century artists. 

   
   

   
   
   

3. Museu Picasso

   Witness
   the budding – and meteoric rise – of Picasso’s artistic genius at this
   unique museum. One of the world’s largest collections of the painter’s
   early works. 

4. Museu d’Art Contemporani & Centre de Cultura Contemporània

   Inaugurated
   in 1995, MACBA is Barcelona’s centre for modern art. Combined with the
   neighbouring CCCB, the two buildings form an artistic and cultural hub
   in the heart of El Raval. Both regularly host temporary exhibitions: the
   MACBA showcases contemporary artists; the CCCB is more theme-based. 

   
   

   
   
   

5. Fundació Tàpies

   Works by Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies are showcased in this graceful Modernista
   building. Venture inside to discover Tàpies’ rich repertoire, from
   early collage works to large, abstract paintings, many alluding to
   political and social themes.

   
   

   
   
   

   Terrace, Fundació Tàpies

   
   
   

6. Conjunt Monumental de la Plaça del Rei

   Explore
   the medieval Palau Reial and wander among the splendid remains of
   Barcelona’s Roman walls and waterways at the city’s history museum. The
   museum is partly housed in the 15th-century Casa Padellàs on the
   impressive medieval Plaça del Rei.

7. Museu del FC Barcelona

   This
   shrine to the city’s football club draws a mind-boggling number of fans
   paying homage to their team. Trophies, posters and other memorabilia
   celebrate the club’s 100-year history. 

   
   

   
   
   

   Badge, FC Barcelona

   
   
   

   Camp Nou Stadium

8. Museu Marítim

   Barcelona’s
   formidable sea-faring history is showcased in the cavernous,
   13th-century Drassanes Reials (Royal Shipyards). The collection, which
   spans from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, includes a full-scale
   replica of the Real,
   the flagship galley of Don Juan of Austria, who led the Christians to
   victory against the Turks during the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Also on
   display are model ships, maps and navigational instruments. 

9. Museu Frederic Marès

   Catalan
   sculptor Frederic Marès (1893–1991) was a passionate and eclectic
   collector. Housed here, under one roof, are many remarkable finds
   amassed during his travels. Among the vast array of historical objects
   on display are Romanesque and Gothic religious art and sculptures, plus
   everything from dolls and fans to pipes and walking sticks. 

   
   

   
   
   

   Virgin, Museu Frederic Marès

10. CosmoCaixa Museu de la Ciencia

    Exhibits
    covering the whole history of science, from the Big Bang to the
    computer age, are housed in this modern museum. Highlights include an
    interactive tour of the geological history of our planet, an area of
    real Amazonian rain forest, and a planetarium.

    • Teodor Roviralta 47–51

    • Open 10am–8pm Tue–Sun

    • Adm (free first
      Sun of month)

    • DA

    • 
      www.cosmocaixa.com
      

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