Barcelona is home to many fantastic museums and galleries. But, if you have time to visit only one of them, make it Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. It’s home to the best collection of Romanesque mural paintings worldwide. It’s also where you can see artworks created by some of the most famous Spanish artists, such as Antoni Gaudi and Diego Velazquez. To help you plan a visit to that fantastic museum, here is the Culture Tourist’s guide to Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya highlights, its beautiful building and the collection’s history.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya highlights
This post contains some affiliate links. Read our Privacy Policy for more info.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is one of those museums where you can spend the whole day. It displays art spanning from the Middle Ages until the mid-20th century. Although the museum mainly focuses on Catalan artists, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya also includes artworks made by Spanish and European artists.
⤷ Read more: My travel diary – Three days in Barcelona
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya’s history
The first museum collection started to be gathered already during the 19th century. This was when the idea of cultural heritage being essential to the nation’s identity began to appear. However, it wasn’t until 1934 that the collection found its permanent address on Montjuïc Hill.
⤷ Read more: The most intriguing art heists in European museums
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya building
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is located in Palau Nacional of Montjuïc. That beautiful building was made for the International Exposition in Barcelona in 1929. Its massive dome was inspired by Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. And the four towers by Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.
The monumental building has one of the best locations among the museums. It was built at the same time (and for the same occasion) as Placa d’Espana, located downhill from it. So, a person approaching it from the square has a great view of the waterfalls, staircases and the monumental museum at the top of the hill.
Read more: Why is Sagrada Familia not finished yet?
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya collection
The museum exhibits more than 260,000 artworks, making it one of Spain’s most significant art museums. You can spend the whole day in it. However, if you only have limited time to visit it, check out some of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya highlights below and choose which collections to see before your visit.
⤷ Read more: Top 7 art museums in Europe
Romanesque Murals
If I’ll need to recommend you only one Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya collection to visit, it would undoubtedly be Romanesque art. The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is home to the best collection of Romanesque murals in the world! And they are exhibited remarkably, making you feel as if you’re visiting them inside the churches they were made for.
The region of Catalonia (especially the Spanish Pyrenees) was one of the most prominent European art centres during the Middle Ages. Numerous small churches were built there and decorated with colourful murals in the fashion of the time. To make those artworks better protected and more accessible to the public, they were removed and transferred to this place, making it one of the unmissable highlights of Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona.
You can watch a video at a museum explaining the unique procedure of transferring those murals from medieval churches. It’s fascinating to see and learn about that delicate process. But, what I especially loved in that part of the museum, is that the rooms are designed in the shape of the church from which the wall paintings were taken. So, when visiting this collection, you feel as if you are inside those small medieval churches yourself.
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya Romanesque Art collection is a must-see location in Barcelona for anyone interested in art history and medieval wall paintings.
⤷ Read more: Medieval frescoes in Istria
Gothic Art Collection
A thing that absolutely fascinated me when I visited Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona was the great shape in which the artworks are. And that’s especially visible in the Gothic art collection.
Massive altarpieces are restored and shine in a gold and colourful palette. This collection includes artworks created between the 13th and 15th centuries. Besides the paintings, you’ll also find statues and decorative art there.
Renaissance & Baroque Art Collection
The Renaissance and Baroque art collection is home to artworks made by internationally known painters such as P.P. Rubens or Titian. However, its highlights include masterpieces by the Spanish Golden Age. Mainly created during the 16th century, some of the most famous paintings were created by masters such as Diego Velazquez or Francisco de Zurbaran.
⤷ Read more: The travelling artists & artworks in Renaissance Europe
Modern Art Collection
The collection of modern art is the largest one at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona. It’s located on the museum’s first floor and includes artworks made by some of the most famous Spanish artists. Some of the highlights include the furniture designed by Antoni Gaudi. So, it’s a must-see place in Barcelona for anyone interested in that famous architect’s work.
Some of the collection’s highlights include paintings made by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Joan Miro.
⤷ Read more: Salvador Dali locations around Barcelona
Some tips for visiting Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
⤷ Museum restaurants – A visit to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona could last a few hours. However, if you’d like to take a short break during your visit, you can do that in one of the museum restaurants. A nice restaurant with coffee, sandwiches, salads and some tapas is located in the oval hall on the ground floor. If you’d like a fancier meal, you can have lunch at the Oleum restaurant on the first floor.
⤷ Entrance ticket – As with many attractions in Barcelona, I strongly recommend buying a museum entrance ticket in advance. You’ll avoid long queuing and use that time to enjoy exploring the museum instead. Here is the link where you can buy your online ticket.
⤷ MNAC Digital collection – Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona has an excellent online display of their artworks on their website. If you’d like to explore some of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya’s highlights before your visit, check it out on this link.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is one of the best museums in Barcelona any art enthusiast should visit. With its fantastic collection of Romanesque murals and numerous works made by Catalan and Spanish artists, it’s a great place to spend some time while exploring that Spanish town.
This post contains some affiliate links.