Learn about Catalonia’s art history with a visit to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (National Art Museum of Catalonia). The museum’s collection covers a wide range of media, from ancient sculptures to modern paintings and photographs. The enormous edifice overlooks Barcelona from its perch on Montjuic, a hill that is home to galleries, parks, museums and sports arenas.
Within the museum, visitors can see intricate metal work, Gothic paintings, impressive stone sculptures and murals painted in the Romanesque style. As you browse through the large collection of Baroque and Renaissance works, you’ll encounter pieces by famous masters such as Titian, El Greco and Francisco de Zurbarán.
To see art from the more contemporary avant-garde, modernism, noucentisme and neoclassic periods, explore the museum’s collection of Modern Art. Here you can enjoy the best work of some of Catalan’s most talented artists, such as Pablo Picasso, Salvadaor Dalí, Antoni Guadi and Mariá Fortuny. Photography aficionados should enjoy the museum’s collection of approximately 6,500 neo-realism, pictorialism and photojournalism photographs.
In addition to its permanent collections, the museum also has high-quality temporary exhibitions. These exhibitions have traditionally embraced a wide variety of artistic media, such as photo journals, furniture, home decoration and architectural blueprints.
When you’re finished exploring the museum, sit on the front stops and marvel at the spectacular views of Barcelona. At night, the Magic Fountain of Montjuic explodes with sound and colour during free light and music shows. Check online for a schedule of when these impressive performances occur.
Get to the National Art Musuem of Catalonia by taking the metro or a public bus, both of which have stops at the nearby Plaça d’Espana. Tourist hop-on, hop-off bus tours also visit the museum. Visitors can additionally take the tram from Port Vell up to the top of Mountjuic and then descend the short distance to the museum.
The National Art Musuem of Catalonia is only closed on Mondays. There is no fee to enter the museum building or the Oval Hall Auditorium, and it is also free to see some of the temporary exhibitions. Museum tickets last for 48 hours, so if you don’t get to see everything on the first day, you can always go back. On Saturdays and on the first Sunday of the month there is no entrance fee for any of the exhibitions. Check the museum’s website for up-to-date information regarding fees, hours and tours.
