The 5 must-see museums in Barcelona

In Barcelona’s upscale area, the zona alta, in the Sant Gervasi district, you’ll find one of the most popular museums for kids. The CosmoCaixa is designed to spark curiosity and encourage learning through interactive exhibits that provide unique educational experiences. Physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy... the subjects with a reputation for being tough, become fun thanks to first-hand experience and discovering scientific principles through engaging demonstrations.

Did you know...? The CosmoCaixa Barcelona is home to a tropical forest with real fauna and flora that offers an immersive experience of the Amazon rainforest. Sometimes they’ve even let people spend the night there!

You’ll find this must-see gem for lovers of modern art in general and Catalan contemporary art in particular in a bustling square—claimed by skateboarders years ago— in the Raval neighbourhood. Through painting, video art, installations and other artistic languages, MACBA aims to foment the creation of a freer and more critical society by embracing artistic diversity. Of course, you’ll have to check their programme before you visit to find just the right exhibit to blow your mind.

Did you know...? As part of its vision to support art and culture, La Roca Village sponsored the first MACBA Foundation Award, which aims to recognise the outstanding achievements of contemporary artists in Spain and Portugal.

A passion for pharaonic culture inspired collector Jordi Clos to fund the first museum devoted to ancient Egypt in Spain in 1994. Despite not being one of the largest in square metres, the museum houses an impressive collection of more than 1,000 objects spanning 3,000 years of history. The wide range of themes, such as the figure of the pharaoh, burial practices and the cult of the body, provide a complete overview of the life and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians from the Old Kingdom to Roman times.

Did you know...? Among the most outstanding objects you’ll discover in the Egyptian Museum are sarcophagi, religious statues, huge baboon heads that decorated temples, and even fragments of a tomb from the Sixth Dynasty.

Atop the steps of Montjuïc, just behind its famous fountain, stands the MNAC, or Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. Built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition, the Montjuïc Palau Nacional houses a large collection of Catalan art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The museum offers both permanent and temporary exhibitions, the latter being particularly notable for their international works.

Did you know...? The MNAC also has two terraces with 360° panoramic views of Barcelona. A visit to the terraces is included with your entry, but you can also buy a separate entry for them.

The mutual love between Barcelona and the Spanish painter is well known. Pablo Picasso came to Barcelona as a teenager in 1895 and fell in love with Catalan modernism, cafés steeped in culture, and the Renaixença. This is why a large part of his work resides in the Catalan city. In its museums, you’ll find works from his debut period, several pieces from his blue period, the complete Las Meninas collection and the largest number of his ceramics.

Did you know...? Three other museums in the world are dedicated to Picasso: one in his home town, Malaga; one in Paris; and the last in the town of Buitrago de Lozoya in the Community of Madrid. However, the Picasso Museum Barcelona is the only one created by the artist during his lifetime.

After the success of their first site in Amsterdam, collectors Lionel and Kim Logchies chose Barcelona to open their second Moco Museum. In its more than 1,000 square metres, you’ll find works by Andy Warhol, David LaChapelle, Salvador Dalí and Jean-Michel Basquiat, as well as NFTs, an extensive representation of modern, contemporary and street art, and the most current and disruptive digital art.

Did you know...? If you’re wondering where the curious name Moco Museum comes from, we regret to tell you that the answer is very straightforward: from ‘modern’ and ‘contemporary’, the style of art exhibited in the museum.