Museums in Barcelona
Five museums, two reasons to come and a Monday when four of them are shut
- Picasso
- €14 online
- Miró
- €17 online
- MNAC
- €12, valid two days
Of Barcelona's five main museums only two justify planning a day around them. Picasso and Miró are the reasons to come, while MNAC, MACBA and MUHBA earn a stop if you are already nearby. The sheet below puts all five side by side, and Monday is the day it matters most, because four of them are shut.
Five museums on one sheet
Hours change by season; both are shown. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing (MACBA) and 45 minutes before closing (MUHBA).
Monday closes Picasso, MNAC, Miró and MUHBA. MACBA does the opposite, open on Monday and shut on Tuesday, which makes it the museum for the day the other four are dark. Season matters as well, because the MNAC winter schedule runs from 1 October to 30 April and the others change hours on their own calendars.
Check the same room on both sites: price and cancellation terms can differ.
A reason to come to the Born
Book the Picasso Museum online, at €14, because the desk price is higher. It is a museum devoted to one artist, which keeps the visit compact and easy to plan around. Hours, by season: Tue–Sun; winter 10–19, summer 9–20 (Thu–Sat until 21); closed Mondays.
The museum sits in the Born, the neighbourhood around Passeig del Born, where the bars pour cocktails, beer and vermouth. Put the museum first and lunch second, then stay for a vermouth if the day allows.
Montjuïc in one day
Both museums stand on Montjuïc, and bus 150 links them. The Fundació Miró is the reason to come, a whole museum for a single artist. Tickets are cheaper online: €17. Hours, by season: Apr–Oct Tue–Sat 10–20, Sun 10–19; Nov–Mar Tue–Sun 10–19; closed Mondays.
MNAC is the stop that goes with it, a collection with a terrace whose steps are a viewpoint over the city. The entry is €12 and the ticket is valid for two days, so the visit can be split. Hours, by season: winter Tue–Sat 10–18, Sun 10–15; summer Tue–Sat 10–20; closed Mondays. In winter MNAC closes before Miró, so it goes first. Pick Miró for the artist and MNAC for the view, and do both on the same hill.
Two cities in one
MACBA is the museum of contemporary art, in the Raval, and its price online is €13.50. Hours: Mon, Wed–Fri 11–19:30, Sat 10–20, Sun 10–15; closed Tuesdays.
MUHBA Plaça del Rei is the old Barcelona under the new one: a stop in the old town, with the Roman city under the street. The ticket is €7, it is free from 15:00 on Sundays, and its hours are Tue–Sat 10–19, Sun 10–20; closed Mondays. Treat it as a stop between other things.
Free slots need a booking
Free does not mean walk-in. Picasso and MNAC ask for an online reservation even for their free hours, and on the first Sunday of the month four of the five museums here are free: Picasso, MNAC, MACBA and MUHBA. The CCCB, a museum with no permanent collection, is free on Sundays from 15:00 to 20:00 with a reservation. The slots are below.
- Picasso in winter: Thursday from 16:00 to 19:00, online booking.
- Picasso in summer: Thursday to Saturday from 19:00 to 21:00, under the name Picasso Convida.
- MNAC: Saturday from 15:00, online booking.
- MACBA: Thursday to Saturday from 18:00 to 20:00.
Where to next
Nomadinho scores out of 100, the same ones behind “Where to go”.
If you like Barcelona
Three places with the closest scores, from any country.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Which Barcelona museum is worth the trip, and which can you skip?
Build a day around Picasso or Miró, each an artist and a collection in one place. MNAC goes well with Miró because both stand on Montjuïc, and MACBA is for those who like contemporary art. MUHBA is a stop, not a destination, and the one to drop if time runs short.
Is any museum open on Monday?
MACBA is. The other four, Picasso, MNAC, Miró and MUHBA, are closed that day, while MACBA takes its day off on Tuesday.
Can you walk in without a ticket bought ahead?
For a paid visit, yes: the desk sells tickets at Picasso, Miró and MACBA, though the online price is lower. For a free slot at Picasso or MNAC, no, because the reservation online is part of the deal.
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