Barcelona is a city with a rich artistic and cultural legacy, and the range of museums keenly reflects this. As well as peerless institutions devoted to the life and works of artists like Miró and Picasso, you’ll find staggering sites like the Museum of Contemporary Art. There probably isn’t enough time in an average trip to fully enjoy the permanent and temporary exhibitions in all of the below, but those willing to give it their best shot will find that it pays off!

Museu Picasso
This enormous museum’s collection of over 3,500 Picasso works (most from the early Blue period) makes for some sensational viewing. There are also some great temporary exhibits such as that of noted Fauvist, Kees Van Dongen, which you can see until the end of September.
Montcada 15-23, 08003 Barcelona

MACBA – Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art
MACBA is a truly visionary building located close to the Rambla. Even if you don’t feel like browsing the contents, a visit just to take in the structure is essential. Watch out for skateboarding kids, though – no sense in spending the remainder of your holiday with one leg in a cast!
Plaça dels Angels, 1, 08001 Barcelona

Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

An incredible collection of traditional Catalonian art

The Palau Nacional was originally built for the 1929 World Fair, and houses the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, an institution renowned for its incredible collection of traditional Catalonian art. Right now, they are featuring the Spanish civil war photographs of Robert Capa and Gerda Taro. This museum also offers an awesome view across the city rooftops. Don’t miss it!
Parc de Montjuïc, 08038 Barcelona

Fundacio Joan Miró
This museum, dedicated to the famous surrealist Joan Miró, is housed in yet another gorgeous building. Sorry if my references to these museums’ architecture are obscuring their contents a little, but very little in Barcelona is packaged in a mundane way. To rectify: right now the Fundacio Joan Miró is staging an exhibition the relationship between Miró and his friend and biographer Jacques Dupin. Well worth an afternoon of your time.
Parc de Montjuïc s/n, 08038 Barcelona