Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)
The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art has been the catalyst in the urban
regeneration of the El Raval district of central Barcelona, just off the
Ramblas. If you're staying in this area it's well worth a visit even though you
might find some of the exhibits rather weird.
Whether you're a student of art, a fan of exceptional architecture or just
looking to enjoy walking around a beautiful building that has something to offer
at every turn, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary art can show you some of the
best of the last half-century of art and expose you to some of the most
extraordinary architecture to be seen in Barcelona.
The first thing that you are sure to notice about the Barcelona Museum of
Contemporary Art is the contrast it makes to the surrounding city. Designed in
the early 1990s by famed architect Richard Meier, this gleaming white building
rises above the charmingly old-fashioned Barcelona neighbourhood of the Raval
Quarter, in Old Barcelona. With its enormous glass windows and strongly
geometric architecture, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art is in itself a
work of modern art. The entirely white interior and exterior, combined with a
system of windows and skylights that flood the building with natural light gives
the impression of being a place thoroughly dedicated to the modern.
When you go to the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, you'll find work in
the permanent collections from nationally recognized artists like Paul Klee, but
the collection's real strengths come from its collection of Catalan artists like
Antoni Tŕpies, one of Barcelona's most famous artists.
Look for his sculptures
in the specifically set aside permanent galleries, but do be aware that the
museum will rotate out its pieces from time to time. You can find his famous
"Pintura Ocre" and "Rinzen" in a gallery devoted to his work. Similarly, you'll
find Miguel Barcelo's famous painting "Season of Rain no. 2" hanging on the
second floor, amidst work by some of Barcelo's contemporaries, the finest modern
artists of Spain.
The best way to see the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary art is simply to wander
in it. In the past, visiting exhibits have featured the work of Jo Spence and
Peter Friedl, and when you wander the halls, starting from the cylindrical
atrium and heading up the walkways, you'll be surprised and delighted by the
exhibits you didn't expect to see. Pick up a map on the front desk, and lose
yourself for hours, enjoying the best that contemporary Catalan art has to
offer.
MACBA: Opening Hours
If you decide to visit the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, you will
want to make sure that you know when it is open. The museum's summer hours are
from 11 am until 8 pm on weekdays, between 10 am and 8 pm on Saturdays and
between 10 am and 3 pm on Sundays. During the winter, the museum is closed on
Tuesdays, and on weekdays is open from 11 am until 7:30 pm, keeping the same
weekend hours as during the summer. If you can, head to the museum on a
Wednesday, when admission is half price. The nearest underground stations are
Catalunya and Universitat.
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