Beyond the Picasso and the MNAC, Barcelona hides small, singular, almost secret museums. Here are ten worth a visit.
The basics
By area Montjuïc, Poble-sec, Born, Gothic Quarter and the metropolitan area · Note many have short opening hours
The oddest the funeral carriage collection at Montjuïc
Ten different museums
- Funeral Carriage Collection (Montjuïc Cemetery). Described as the largest collection of historic funeral carriages in Europe. Open Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 to 14:00, with a free guided tour at 12:00 and the exhibition “The Last Journey”.
- Espai Bombers (Poble-sec, c/ Lleida 30). A former fire station telling the history and equipment of Barcelona’s firefighters.
- Museu de la Xocolata (El Born, c/ Comerç 36). The history of cocoa and sculptures made of chocolate.
- MMACA, Mathematics Museum of Catalonia. Puzzles, optical illusions and challenges for all ages.
- Museu d’Història de la Immigració de Catalunya (Sant Adrià de Besòs). About those who arrived in Catalonia seeking a better future.
- Museu de les Aigües (Cornellà). A modernist former pumping station with historic machinery and gardens.
- Museu Opisso (Hotel Astoria, c/ París 203). A small museum inside a hotel, with illustrator Ricard Opisso’s caricatures.
- Espai Corberó (Esplugues). Sculptor Xavier Corberó’s labyrinth of arches, courtyards and pools, the “Casa dels Cecs”.
- Hospital de Sant Sever (Gothic Quarter, c/ Palla 21). A recently renovated medieval hospital housing the Casacuberta Marsans collection.
- Museu Frederic Marès (next to the Cathedral). The sculptor’s encyclopedic and unusual collection; free on the first Sunday of the month.
Tips
- Many have short opening hours: confirm before you go.
- Several are outside the centre but well connected by metro or train.
- Pair them with a neighbourhood plan, such as Poble-sec, Raval and Gràcia on foot.
Keep exploring Barcelona with me
To visit without paying, see free museums in Barcelona. And if you like oddities, Barcelona facts and All Saints’ Day in Barcelona, with the Montjuïc carriage collection.
What are the most curious museums in Barcelona
The Funeral Carriage Collection at Montjuïc, Espai Bombers in Poble-sec, the Museu de la Xocolata in El Born, the MMACA maths museum, the Museu Opisso in the Hotel Astoria and the Hospital de Sant Sever, among others.
When can you visit the funeral carriage collection in Barcelona
It opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00, with a free guided tour at 12:00, at the Montjuïc Cemetery.
Which curious museum in Barcelona is free on the first Sunday of the month
The Museu Frederic Marès, next to the Cathedral, is free on the first Sunday of every month, like other museums in the city. Confirm the hours on its website.
