Fundació Joan Miró: This museum contains Spain's best collection of the famed surrealist Catalan's works, all donated by the great man himself. The museum is tucked away on Montjuïc hill in a location that enjoys marvelous vistas of port and city from its roof terrace, where there's an attractive sculpture garden. Concerts take place here in summer. Highlights are the Foundation Tapestry and Mercury Fountain, by his American sculptor friend Alexander Calder.
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA): This is Catalonia's answer to Paris's Pompidou Centre, and it's right in the heart of the earthy yet partially gentrified Raval district, beside a lively square filled with students, passersby, and noisy skateboard fans. It has one of the best collections of modern art in Spain, featuring works by Tàpies and Barcelò; there's also a library, bookshop, and cafe.
Museu Frederic Marès: This charming old palace of secret patios and high ceilings houses one of the most richly varied collections of medieval sculpture in the world, all donated by Marés -- a talented sculptor himself. Exhibits can be viewed on two floors, which open on alternative days and range from polychromatic Roman crucifixes and Gothic statues to a Ladies' Room filled with Victorian knick-knacks, and a Museu Sentimental dedicated to Barcelona over the past 2 centuries.
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC): Located in the imposing Palau Nacional on the northern edge of Montjuïc, this museum overlooks the Font Màgica (Magic Fountain) and is arguably one of the greatest repositories of Romanesque religious works in the world. Many of the icons and frescoes have been moved here from tiny churches high up in the Pyrénées, where replicas now fill the spaces they originally occupied. Gothic styles are also well represented, and more recently there have been moderniste additions -- many taken from the Manzana de la Discordia.
Museu Picasso: One of the most visited cultural spots in the city, this museum is mainly dedicated to works by the younger Picasso, which have been collected and assembled by his friend Jaume Sabartés y Gual. It spreads through a quintet of medieval palaces in La Ribera's atmospheric Calle Montcada. The artist donated many of the works himself, and highlights include the famed Las Meninas and The Harlequin.
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