Picasso Museum: Skip The Line Ticket + Guided Tour
From €35.00
Top Museums to Visit in Barcelona: A Cultural Journey Through the City
Introduction to Barcelona's Rich Museum Scene
Barcelona is among the most popular travel destinations in the world. This city has everything one needs for a great holiday: perfect climate, good food, fantastic architecture, rich history and beautiful museums.
Between the various museums, everyone will find something to their taste. There are art galleries, modern art exhibitions, science, technology and history museums, interactive exhibitions, and thematic galleries…
Some museums are always free for the public, and almost all Barcelona museums offer free entrance on specific days, times or during significant cultural events. But even without discounts or free offers, many museums cost a reasonable amount.
Best Museums to Visit in Barcelona
Among the museums, the best ones are:
Picasso Museum: A Must for Art Lovers: The Picasso Museum in Barcelona is a crucial place to explore Pablo Picasso's art. The artist spent his early years in Barcelona, where he became part of the bohemian circle, met new people, became infected with liberal ideas, and was involved in political activity. Barcelona is full of places associated with Pablo Picasso's life.
The museum opened its doors while the painter was still alive. The collection started with the paintings donated by Picasso's close friends. The painter himself and later his family also donated works to the museum. Since then, the number of exhibits in the Picasso Museum has risen to 4000, with around 300 being exhibited.
If you are an art lover, this museum is a must-visit for you and your family. The collection showcases Pablo Picasso's artistic journey, from academic works and paintings from the melancholic Blue Period to the first cubist pieces.
The highlights of this museum are the following paintings: "Science and Charity", "First Communion", "The Defenceless", "Woman with Bonnet", "Portrait of Señora Canals", "Las Meninas", "Harlequin", "The Pigeons", "Self-Portrait".
The museum offers an audioguide for adults and a special one for children. The children's audioguide focuses on fun yet educational explanations that suit the little visitors.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya: Exploring Catalan Art: El Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is located in the Palau Nacional de Montjuïc, constructed for the 1929 International Exposition. The Palace imitates classical architecture and looks gorgeous on top of Montjuic hill. Later, the building was given over to the museum and, with time, became the most crucial repository of Catalan art.
It houses the most important Roman Catalan collection, the best collection of Romanesque wall paintings, and the most representative artists of Catalan modernism, such as Antonio Gaudí or Ramon Casas. Apart from Catalan artists, this museum houses Gothic art pieces, great European Renaissance and Baroque painters, such as Titian or Velázquez, and a photography collection.
Explore the collection and study the history and secret corners of the building. Consider having lunch or dinner at the restaurant on top of the building. It offers a great view of the Spanish Square and Plaza de Torros.
Museum of Contemporary Art: Modern and Avant-Garde Exhibitions: The MACBA explores contemporary art, with a particular focus on Catalan artists. The museum aims to arouse visitors' interest in contemporary art.
As with any art, contemporary art leads a dialogue with its spectator about essential topics, such as intolerance, inequality, wars, poverty…These are the main conflicts and issues partially covered by media, politicians, and social institutions. However, it is the art that can teach people to think critically, be freer, and make their choices wisely.
This museum is a must for those who want to become experts in Catalan art and gain a deeper understanding of contemporary art.
Museum Ticket Prices and How to Purchase
Picasso Museum:
General Admission: Adults - Permanent Collection: €12 Adults - Combined Ticket (Permanent Collection + Temporary Exhibitions): €14
Reduced Admission: Students (18-25): €7 (Permanent Collection) / €7.50 (Combined Ticket) Seniors (65+): €7 (Permanent Collection) / €7.50 (Combined Ticket)
Free Admission: Under 18 years: Free Every Thursday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (pre-booking required). First Sunday of every month (all day).
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya:
General Admission: Adults: € 12
Reduced Admission: Students: € 8,40, Families: € 8,40
Free Admission: Seniors (65+), Kids (0-16), Disabled
Museum of Contemporary Art:
General Admission: Adults: € 12 (on-site) / € 10,20 (online)
Reduced Admission: Students: € 9,60
Free Admission: Seniors (65+), Kids (0-18), Disabled, Single parent, Large Family
Free museums and special entry times
There are the following museums that offer free entrance to the public throughout the year:
- Museu de la Música,
- El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria,
- Biblioteca de Catalunya,
- Centre d’Art Contemporani Fabra i Coats,
- and Oliva Artés.
Besides, many Catalan museums offer free entrance on specific dates.
- First Sunday of the Month: Museu Picasso, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), Museu d'Història de Barcelona (MUHBA), Fundació Joan Miró
- Thursday afternoons: Museu Picasso (after 4 PM), Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) (after 3 PM)
- Saturday afternoons. For example: Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) (after 4 PM)
- International Museum Day (May 18)
- La Nit dels Museus (The Night of Museums) - usually in May.
Opening Hours and Best Times to Visit Barcelona's Museums
Picasso Museum
2 May - 31 October:
- Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
1 November - 30 April:
- Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- The museum is closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May, 24 June, 25 December
Reduced hours:
- 5 January 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- 24 and 31 December 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
- October - April, Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Sunday and holidays 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- May - September, Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM; Sunday and holidays 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December
Museum of Contemporary Art
- September 25 to June 24: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 11:00 am – 7:30 pm
- June 25 to September 24: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Tuesday - closed
- Saturday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Sunday: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tips for Exploring Museums in Barcelona
- Plan your visits to have a good experience. It might be better to visit only one museum in a day. This will help you absorb more information and enhance your emotional experience.
- Looking for a place to eat nearby might be a good idea.
- Explore the museum’s collection before the visit. Try to list the highlights to make the visit more efficient.
- Book an audioguide if available or read the captions.
How to get to the city's top museums
Most museums are in the city centre, Gothic Quarter, Eixample, and Gracia, but there are also exciting museums in the other districts. An excellent way to visit the museums is by taking the hop-on, hop-off bus. You can hop off at the stops with the museums and explore the art between the rides.
For instance, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is located at Plaza Espanya on Montjuic Hill. If you prefer not to take the tourist bus, there is a metro station in front of Plaza Espanya. Take Line 1 or 3 for MNAC.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is situated in Raval, the most controversial part of the Old City. The district has experienced poverty, crime, and social issues. A long time ago, it was located on the outskirts of the medieval city, thus being populated by the poor people coming to Barcelona in search of income. Take the metro Lines 1, 2, or 3 to Catalunya, Liceu, or Universitat.
The Picasso Museum is located in medieval Barcelona. It is based inside the medieval palaces that once belonged to the local bourgeoisie. Take Line 4 to Jaume I or Line 1 to the Arc de Triomf.
- Museu Picasso
- Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
- Fundació Joan Miró
- Museu d'Història de Barcelona (MUHBA)
- CosmoCaixa
- Poble Espanyol
- Museu del Disseny de Barcelona (Design Museum)
The prices of the tickets vary depending on the museum. Among the best museums, the cheapest (Museu del Disseny de Barcelona (Design Museum), CosmoCaixa and Museu d'Història de Barcelona) cost around 6 Euros for adults.
Most of the prices equal to 12-14 Euros per person (for example, Picasso Museum, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), Fundació Joan Miró, Poble Espanyol)
The museums in Barcelona typically open at 9:00 or 10:00 AM and close around 7:00 PM, but variations are also possible.
Some museums do not open on Mondays and some close later in Summer and Spring.
Some museums in Barcelona offer free entrance to the public throughout the year. These museums are:
- Museu de la Música,
- El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria,
- Biblioteca de Catalunya,
- Centre d’Art Contemporani Fabra i Coats,
- and Oliva Artés.
Other museums, even the top ones, offer discounts, on certain days, public holidays or at specific times.
The Picasso Museum is located in Barcelona's historic area, in the middle of El Born, a short distance from all the stops and stations.
By Metro Nearest Station: Jaume I (L4, Yellow Line) is the closest metro stop.
By Bus Line 17, 45, 120
By Tram The nearest tram stop is Estació de França
