Top Museums in Barcelona

Fundació Antoni Tàpies

The artist himself, Antoni Tàpies, created this centre in 1984 as a place to study contemporary art, and today its library has become one of the most important of its kind in the world. It exhibits a large collection of his beautiful drawings, paintings, sculptures and engravings and organizes regular temporary exhibitions as well. The building that dates back to 1880, is the work of modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and it was the headquarters of the prestigious publishing house, Editorial Montaner i Simón until the 1970s. Look up, above the entrance to see one of Tàpies's avant-garde sculptures.

Museu Frederic Marés

Sculptor Frederic Marés i Deulovol donated his house to the city as a museum. One section of the Museu Frederic Marés has been laid out to give you an overview of the development of sculpture in the Hispanic world from the pre-Roman era to the beginning of the 20th century. The other section is called Gabinete del Coleccionista (Collector's Cupboard) and it's a display of 1000s of 19th-century household objects like fans, pipes and children's dolls arranged according to Marés's own taste to give the public a picture of everyday life in that period.

Museu Picasso

Barcelona's tribute to one of its adopted sons, this fabulous collection is displayed in three adjoining medieval palaces. Picasso was born in Malaga but really started his long artistic career here. You can see all of his most important early works, including engravings, lithographs and pottery at the Museu Picasso. The most famous pieces on show are his Harlequin, a potrait of one of his wives, Jacqueline, and the Las Meninas series. Regular temporary exhibitions focus on different aspects of the artist's activities, for example, his research on landscapes or his foray into theater design. In addition, there are some examples of work by artists from the avant-garde movement.

Museu Futbol Club Barcelona (Museum of the Barcelona Soccer Team)

Museu Futbol Club Barcelona is a soccer fan's paradise. The focus is on Barcelona soccer, but the museum also presents a number of artistic and thoughtful reflections on the sport as a whole. A well laid-out and visually appealing museum, it displays photos and trophies, and there are even videos of FC Barcelona in action. Since 1899, Barcelona has been a force to reckon with in European soccer, and this museum takes you through the entire history, right up to the present day: you can opt for a guided tour of the stadium, which offers a visit to the press boxes, the away teams' locker room, and even the sacred field itself. Check website for visiting hours.

La Pedrera-Centre Cultural Caixa Catalunya

Antoni Gaudí's La Pedrera is probably the most famous work of Catalan Modernist architecture. Start your tour at the top, in the Espai Gaudí, where you'll find models and video films that show and explain all his buildings. From here, you can also get to the interesting roof-top terrace with its excellent views of the Eixample between the phantasmagoric army of chimneys and ventilation tubes. In summer, there are outdoor jazz concerts up on the roof. Your next stop should be El Pis de la Pedrera, a faithful reproduction of one of the block's original apartments that's designed to give you an idea of how the middle-classes lived here at the turn of the 20th century. Finally, visit the main floor and its temporary exhibitions.

Museu del Temple Expiatori de La Sagrada Familia

Templo Expiatorio of the Sagrada Família is the unfinished and most expensive project by Antoni Gaudí, the great architect. This unique exhibit includes plans, drawings, photographs and models related to the construction of the temple, and pieces made from wrought iron, bronze and wood as well. Visitors can also see how the temple was devised and its origins. The museum is located in the crypt of the basilica and you enter from the side of the Passió façade (Carrer Sardenya). There is also a lift that takes visitors to one of the towers, from which there is an excellent view over this unfinished though magnificent construction.

Barcelona

Plaza del Doctor Letamendi, between Calle Consell de Cent and Calle Valencia, is part of the Art Gallery District in Barcelona. This gallery, which carries the same name as the city, specializes in abstract art, of which they have a splendid collection. Also the "art" with which this collection is exhibited is worth mentioning. Abstract art lovers will have a great time at this gallery, where, apart from showing the work of consummated and world-wide famous artists, such as Miró or Chillida, they also present work by young artists, such as Pilar Palomer and Joaquín Sancho.

Sala Parés

Sala Parés is a historic gallery  that has been open since the mid-19th century. It was the place where Catalan artists like Casas, Rossinyol, Mir and Clarà exhibited, and was the first to show Picasso as well. The gallery promotes figurative painting, though they also display works of contemporary painters such as Neus Martín Royo and Josep Puigdengolas. It is the sister gallery of Galería Trama, shows more contemporary Spanish artists suchs as Perico Pastor, Anna Miquel, Marcos Palazzi, Joan Bennàssar, Matias Quetglas and international artists like Anthony Williams.

Barcelona Cathedral Museum

The Barcelona Cathedral Museum is one of the finest repositories for art collections from the 1300s to the 1700s. Observe works by the likes of Bartolome Bermejo, Manuel Tremulles, Pere Serafi and Jaume Huguet, and be enthralled. A must-visit for art-lovers.

CaixaForum Museum

CaixaForum Museum was created by the distinguished Catalan architect Puig i Cadafalch. It is unusual because its original function was as a textile factory and this adds to the center's utilitarian presence. The CaixaForum's open auditorium holds seminars and cultural events. Past events have been graced by the presence of some international big shots like Bill Clinton, Gorbachev, Bono and Noam Chomsky. Its "Foundations Contemporary Art Collection" is a must see. Open Hours are seasonal.