The Best Museums in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city rich in museums, meaning you could spend a full week here visiting several per day and not get to them all. Since no one has unlimited time to sightsee, here's our cheat sheet of the museums that are the most satisfying for visitors.

• Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya: The astonishing collection of Romanesque and Gothic art proves that artists have been dreaming in Catalan since the 9th century.
• Fundació Joan Miró: Montjuïc landmark is a showcase for Miró’s brilliant surrealism.
• Museu Picasso (pictured above): The master’s gift of more than 2,400 works includes his homage to Velázquez’s Las Meninas. It's also set in a splendid historic mansion.
• Fundació Antoní Tàpies: Changing exhibitions reveal the audacity and playfulness of Spain’s great Abstract Expressionist.
• Museu del Modernisme Catalá: This museum lets visitors get up close to examine the craftsmanship of Modernista furniture and glass.
• Casa-Museu Gaudí: Exhibits reveal the sources of inspiration and personality of the architect and designer who changed the face of Barcelona.
• Museu de Història de Catalunya: The last standing structure of Barcelona’s old port has been converted into a stunning space to tell the story of a nation within a nation.
• Museu Marítim: Exhibits tell the story of Spain’s naval and maritime pursuits in this museum in the ancient shipyards of Barcelona.

Please note that this list does not include all of the wondrous historic mansions that now operate as museums.

Online Instead of IN Line
It's not unusual to spend two hours waiting in line to enter the Museu Picasso. Instead, purchase a ticket on the museum website (or buy the ArtTicket BCN elsewhere), and you enter via a different door—no line, no hassle. Just proceed to the person scanning entry tickets. It's just one of the many museums where planning ahead pays off, big time. The same goes for such blockbuster attractions as Sagrada Familia.