Every year thousands of visitors arrive in Barcelona to experience its famed artistic and cultural hotspots including the works of creative geniuses such as Gaudí, Picasso and Dalí, which are indeed incredible. However, the city is also home to plenty of other awe-inspiring collections ranging from intricate medieval works to wacky contemporary creations that are well worth a visit. So it is no surprise that Barcelona was named the fourth most creative city in the world in 2014 just behind San Francisco, London and New York. Here are my top three favourite museums which are unique and spectacular in their own ways and that will be sure to get your creative juices flowing!
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Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
Where? Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc
MNAC, one of the largest museums in Spain, has been housed in the stunning Palau Nacional from 1934 and was restored in 1995 when various collections were added. It houses an enormous collection of Catalan art from the early Middle Ages to the 20th Century but its biggest and most inspiring collection is the Romanesque. It includes frescoes, murals and wooden carvings rescued from countryside churches around Catalonia dating all the way back to the Medieval period. It also has some recreations of the insides of churches with stunning stained glass windows and the results are truly beautiful. The museum isn’t worth a visit for the art alone – the building itself is inspiring and the view from the top looking out over the whole city is sure to leave you feeling inspired!
CosmoCaixa
Where? Carrer d’Isaac Newton, 26
CosmoCaixa, open in 2005, is one of the most renowned science museums in the whole of Europe, costing over €100 million to make. It is not your typical museum, but offers a more interactive and hands-on experience with the opportunity to try out different things as you walk around. The ins and outs of mind-boggling experiments are explained and the museum is filled with lots of different and interesting topics. On the bottom floor, you can try out various experiments for yourself and there is even a 1000 m² jungle greenhouse complete with tall trees and animals. It’s the perfect place to go if you are visiting with children and want to keep them occupied. With so much to see and do, make sure you have at least a couple of hours to make your way around the museum.
Museu del Disseny de Barcelona
Where? Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 37
Barcelona’s modern design museum located at the DHUB building was designed by MBM architects in 2009 and was opened in 2014, combining existing museums including decorative arts, graphics, textiles and ceramics to create a central hub for the design world and show off the city’s impressive cultural heritage. The huge structure holds over 70,000 unique everyday items from different periods throughout history. If you’re interested in finding out more about the design world or want, give this fantastic museum a visit – you might even feel inspired to design something yourself!
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