Housed in a fascinating modernista factory across the road from the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, CaixaForum is now a gallery owned by La Caixa bank. CaixaForum offers touring exhibitions (some better curated than others), and entrance prices that are hard to resist – the better ones will set you back around €5. It’s an excellent almost-off-the-tourist-map choice.
Web (in Spanish and Catalan)
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Housed in an elaborate Italianate structure built for the 1929 International Exposition, MNAC’s collection ranges from what is regarded as the world’s largest exhibition of Romanesque art, through to Gothic, baroque, Renaissance and modern. With its heavy focus on the first two categories, expect biblical scenes, though the mood lightens in the other halls.
Its commanding position, with views over the impressive Font Màgica de Montjuïc to the hills in the distance, sees a regular number of visitors for the outlook alone.
Buy the Barcelona Museum Pass or Art Passport and gain priority entry to Fundació Joan Miró, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB),the Museu Picasso, Fundació Antoni Tàpies, and Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), and avoid the queues.
Opening times:
October to April, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm; Sundays and public holidays, 10am to 3pm.
May to September, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm; Sundays and public holidays, 10am to 3pm.
Mondays closed, except public holidays. Closed January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.
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