Museum Moments

If you’re seeing the major art centres in Barcelona, get yourself an Articket / articketbcn.org. For a mere €30, it helps skip queues and gets you into the Museu Picasso, MACBA, CCCB, MNAC, Fundació Joan Miró (see below for all) and Fundació Antoni Tàpies. Tickets are available from any of the aforementioned. Also, every May, many of the museums open late into the night for La Nit dels Museus / lanitdelsmuseus.bcn.cat.

Museu d’art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA). Richard Meier’s vision in white houses an outstanding collection of all media from the 1950s on, plus a temp. exhibition space in a lovely C.16th chapel opp. the square. Pl dels Àngels, 1 / Raval / M: Universitat / 93 412 0810 / closed Tue / macba.cat. The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB), with C3 Bar / 93 301 0630, is behind MACBA at Montalegre, 5 / 93 306 4100 / 11am-8pm Tue-sun / cccb.org

Museu Picasso. Whatever you do, don’t miss this prolific genius’ seminal assemblage of paintings, sketches and even collages spread over a gorgeous medieval compound. Montcada, 15-23 / Born / M: Jaume I / 93 256 3000 / 9am-7pm Tuesun / free entry after 3pm Sun, €3 entry Wed pm / museupicasso.bcn.es

Museu Frederic Marès. In the middle of the old city, yet blissfully free of crowds, this vault hosts a huge cache of archaic religious sculpture + a darn pretty courtyard. Pl Sant Iu, 5-6 / Barri Gòtic / M: Jaume I / 93 256 3500 / 10am-7pm Tue-sat, 11am-8pm Sun / museumares.bcn.cat