This is my insider’s guide to the best museums and art galleries in Barcelona, with tips and local knowledge from my dear Catalan friends. My list includes museums I’ve been to and a few I’m still dying to visit. I’ve grouped them by neighbourhood so you can plan a day without zig-zagging across the city, and included entrance fees and how long to allow. You’ll still want to Google addresses and opening times. Museums are often closed on Mondays, and many have a free entrance day on the first Sunday of every month.
Last updated: October 2026
Jump to:
Montjuïc | El Raval | El Born | Gothic Quarter & Rambla | Eixample | Further out | Commercial galleries
The Best Museums and Art Galleries in Barcelona
Ordered by neighbourhood.
Montjuïc
MNAC, Fundació Joan Miró, Museu Etnològic, CaixaForum
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
The Nacional Art Museum of Catalonia, Montjuïc
Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc, s/n, Sants-Montjuïc, 08038.
A must see. This is one of the largest museums in Spain and houses the national collection of Catalan art. Give yourself a few days to take in this extensive exhibition. I suggest digesting one era on each half day visit (2 hours at a time is plenty). I recommend starting with the Romanesque – check the grotesque creatures in the well preserved frescoes presented in church mockups. Also there is a film where you can watch how the restorers do their work. You can work your way slowly through all the exhibition rooms. Enjoy the views of the city outside. Saturdays entrance is free after 3pm but make sure you make an online booking to secure entry. 12€ all other times.
La Caixa Forum
Avinguda de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 6-8, 08038, Barcelona (near Plaça d’Espanya and opposite the Magic Fountain) next to Montjuïc.
Extremely well curated temporary exhibitions with world class art and artefacts in a gorgeous modernist building. Again, always worth a visit no matter what is on. A couple of hours gives you enough time. There’s permanent exhibitions but I’ve not visited those yet. 6€ entrance or free with a valid La Caixa bank account.
Fundació Joan Miró, Montjuïc
Joan Miró Foundation, Montjuïc
Parc de Montjuïc, 08038 .
Everyone raves about this museum and I would still love to visit. Pre-book tickets. Entrance 17€.
Museu Etnològic de Barcelona, Montjuïc
Ethnological Museum on Montjuïc
Passeig de Santa Madrona, 16, Sants-Montjuïc, 08038.
This is a small museum on Montjuïc, where there is a fantastic collection of ex-voto devotional folk art in the basement and all kinds of ancient glass and pottery. Visiting the basement is free. Upstairs is a small museum that goes into detail about various aspects of everyday Catalan life and craftsmanship, from history through to the present day. Give yourself at least a couple of hours in here. 5.20€ entrance.
El Raval
MACBA, CCCB
Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)
Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, El Raval
Carrer de Montalegre, 5, 08001.
I would split this visit into two half days, as there’s always so much contemporary art to take in. There are always brilliant temporary exhibitions as well as the permanent exhibition, that seem to change quite often. The building is located in an arty area, in El Raval and has a large pedestrian forecourt, where skateboarders hang out. 12€ entrance. Free from 4-8pm Saturdays.
Centro de Cultura Contemporánea de Barcelona (CCCB)
Centre of Contemporary culture, El Raval
Carrer de Montalegre, 5, 08001.
It doesn’t matter what you see here, go and explore whatever is on because you will always get treated to meaningful well thought out exhibitions. The content always leaves me with a profound message about life. I can easily spend a minimum of 2 – 3hrs hours in here (reading every information panel). 10€ general entrance.
El Borne
MOCO, Picasso Museum, Museu de Cultures del Món, MEAM.
Carrer Montcada alone has three museums and two commercial art galleries – so this is a great area for a half-day out. Make sure you pop into Artevistas gallery on Barra de ferro, 8. Also Galería Beaskoa, Carrer de Montcada, 16. Fousion Gallery is great if your into pop surrealism, C/ Comerç 15, Local B, 08003.
MOCO museum, Barcelona
Carrer Montcada 25, El Born, 08003.
It’s worth the money. There are lots of popular artists and many notable artworks, enough to leave you tired by the end, plus numerous installations and social-media-ready photo opportunities. Open Monday to Sunday, 10:00-20:00. Ticket prices vary depending on the time of day you go, with general admission from around €14.95 to €17.50.
Museo de Picasso
Picasso Museum
Carrer Montcada 15-23, 08003.
I’m a fan of Picasso’s easy drawn line, even though his reputation around women has a lot to be desired. The content of this museum seems quite specialised, so don’t expect to see his greatest hits that you find in books, online and in the major museums around the world. What you get to see is a dutiful reminder of the various artistic stage of his long life. Free entrance Thursdays 5-8pm – you need to pre-book tickets. General admission 14€ online or 15€ on the door.
Museu de Cultures del Món
Ethnological Museum, Barcelona
Carrer de Montcada, 12-14, 08003.
This will blow your socks off! There are so many strange and wonderful offerings from all around the world. All are well lit and well presented. Give yourself plenty of time, like a whole day. Pre-book tickets – first Sunday of the month is free entrance, 5.20€ all other times.
MEAM, European Museum of Modern Art
Carrer de la Barra de Ferro, 5, 08003.
A museum of figurative and realistic art by international living artists. This one is still on my list of places to visit, though I have entered their Art Biennial. General Admission: €13.
Gothic Quarter & La Rambla
MUHBA, Museu Frederic Marès, BAS Museum, Palau de la Virreina
Roman ruins, medieval relics, and street art, all within a few minutes’ walk. Look out for commercial galleries – Sala Pares, Base Elements, Arte-Vistas, Aura galeria.
BAS Museum, barrio Gótico
Barcelona Street Art Museum
Carrer de la Carabassa, 10, 08002.
It’s like a mini Art Basel – really well curated and meaningful large scale contemporary urban art. QR codes next to each artwork take you on a video journey of each artist and their process. A private collection that is open to the public. Give yourself an hour to take in each artwork slowly. 11€ entrance.
Museo de Historia de Barcelona MUHBA
History Museum Barcelona, barrio Gótico
Plaça del Rei, 08002.
Walk around the ancient Roman ruins that lay beneath the cities Gothic Quarter and get an insight into the beginnings of Barcelona, when there was a population of just 3000. Allow half a day. Pre-book tickets – first Sunday of the month is free entrance. General Admission: €7.30.
Museu Frederic Marès, barrio Gótico
The Museum of Frederic Marès, Gothic quarter
Plaça de Sant Iu, 5, 08002.
OMG this is an incredible museum, that not only houses sculptures by Frederic Marès but also houses his crazy private collection from pre-Roman times, through medieval Christian art, to selected items from up to the middle of last century. You can view thousands of relics that he hoarded from all over Catalonia – giant carved wooden crucifixes saved from Romanesque churches in the Pyrenees and upstairs there are literally thousands of finely crafted everyday artisan objects, like hand painted fans and carved pipes, all squirrelled away from Catalan high society. Allow at least a full day to get around this surprising museum and make sure you see everything! Pre-book tickets. Free entrance first Sunday of the month. General admission: 7.30€.
Palau de la Virreina, La Rambla
Virreina Palace
La Rambla, 99, 08002.
Located on the main Rambla, it’s easy to find. They put on well informed temporary photographic exhibitions, exploring the ideological and aesthetic uses of images. The building is a publicly owned beautiful 18th century palace. Check the ceiling decorations in some of the rooms. Allow at least 2 hours. Pre-book tickets. Admission is completely free.
l’Eixample
Museu Tàpies, Palau Robert, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau.
Modernist buildings and the gallery-lined street Carrer del Consell de Cent which cuts across Passeig de Gràcia. Noted private galleries include Galeria Rubén Torres, Carrer del Consell de Cent, 315 and Mayoral Gallery, Carrer del Consell de Cent, 286 and Villa del Arte, Pg. de Gràcia, 38-40.
El Museu Tàpies, l’Eixample
Carrer d’Aragó, 255, 08007.
This is well worth a visit. World class artists’ retrospectives and of course Tàpies gallery upstairs has a small but well rounded collection of his works. The basement gallery is a real treat too. General admission: 15€.
Palau Robert
Passeig de Gràcia 107, 08008.
Temporary exhibitions of noteworthy themes from 60’s film stars to the history of dry stone walls. Free entry.
A Little Further afield
All the following museums are accessible on public transport. Museu del Disseny, Can Framis, CosmoCaixa, Museu d’Història de Catalunya, Museu de Ciències Naturals.
The Museu del Disseny de Barcelona
The Design Museum, Glories, Sant Martí, Barcelona
Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 37–38, 08018.
If you like cantilevers, you’ll love the architecture of this museum located in the Glories neighbourhood – locals call it the Stapler! The contents vary from the modern day items we take for granted, down to the numerous exquisitely crafted objects, large and small, that reflect an extremely wealthy history. You can easily fill half a day in there. Pre-book tickets, even for the free entrance on the first Sunday of the month, 6.20€ all other times.
Can Framis Museum
Carrer de Roc Boronat, 116–126, 08018.
Contemporary Catalan art – I’d still like to visit this inside of this place. This photo was taken at Llum BCN, which is a leading lighting arts festival in Europe that happens every February. Pre-book tickets – 10€ entrance.
Museu d’Història de Catalunya
The History Museum of Catalonia, next to Port Vell
Plaça de Pau Vila, 3, 08039.
So many things to find out here about life in Catalonia, from domestic life to how the Catalonians championed the 40 hour week. Located in the Palau de Mar by the port and Barcelonetta. General admission: 6€.
Museo de Ciencia CosmoCaixa, Sant Gervasi
CosmoCaixa science museum, Barcelona
Carrer d’Isaac Newton, 26, 08022
A glass sculpture of Giardia lamblia protozoan by Luke Jerram.
I always go straight down to the rain forest section to see the flesh eating Arapaima gigas fish from the Amazon, after that everything is a bonus. They regularly install new interactive exhibits and if possible, I recommend going around with a science teacher!
Open 10-8pm. Pre-book tickets. General Admission (16+): €8, discount with a library card.
Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, Museu Blau, Fòrum
Natural sciences Museum, Museu Blau at the Fòrum
Located at the Parc del Forum. I have yet to explore this museum. Entrance 6€. Free admission on the first Sunday of every month after 15hrs.
Commercial art galleries
There are a vast amount of commercial art galleries dotted around Barcelona, far too many for me to write about here but hey ho, here are a few of my faves:
Aura Galeria – excellent contemporary craft
Galería Beaskoa, Carrer de Montcada, 16 – contemporary ceramics
Sala Pares – traditional and contemporary cityscapes
Base Elements – contemporary, street art
Artevistas Gallery – contemporary, street art
Villa del Arte – high end contemporary art
Galería 3 Punts – on point contemporary art
Fousion Gallery – pop surrealism
Drap-Art – repurposed and found art
ADN Galeria – installations and political art
Shimmy Gallery – where you can see my sculptures and paintings!
Gallery Clusters
There are two streets, each with a lot of gallery’s, one that runs horizontally across Pg de Gràcia that has a lot of posh galleries along it – Carrer Consell de Cents. The other one is more single artists running their own studio shops – Baixada de Viladecols. I usually use Google maps and search for “art gallery” and “galeria de arte” and “art galeria” to hunt out galleries when I’m exploring.
Want to see these on foot ? Try my Art lovers (Google map) guide to Barcelona city walks.
Meet ups
Other arty things to do when you visit Barcelona:
https://www.meetup.com/art-gallery-crawl-in-barcelona/events/ – well organised, very arty crowd, artists talks, contemporary exhibitions and private view like atmosphere.
Thank you for reading
I hope you have found this guide to Barcelona’s museums helpful. Now, before you go, have a browse of my art – I’ve created some of my best paintings and sculptures since living in Barcelona! All my art can be easily shipped worldwide.
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This is such a useful guide, I am very grateful to you for putting such effort into this. It has certainly inspired me to go to galleries and museums more often as I now know where they all are. Thanks Ms Plunkett.