As the capital of the region of Catalonia, Barcelona is home to many incredible attractions, sights, and institutions and is also a major cultural hub. If you have found a villa in Barcelona or a vacation rental in Catalonia and you are looking to sprinkle some culture into the sun and fun that will be afforded by any holiday in the region then you will very much be in luck. From Gaudí's architectural gems to the Picasso Museum and its vast collection of the artist's work to concerts experienced in the stunning surroundings of the Palau de la Música Catalana, there are all sorts of cultural pursuits and venues to be discovered while exploring Barcelona. However, if you have a particular interest in modern architectural gems and modern and contemporary artworks, then the city's must-see cultural institution is, without a doubt, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, or Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, IPA (MACBA).
Located in the Plaça dels Àngels, in El Raval, Ciutat Vella, MACBA was opened to the public in 1995 but has a history that long predates that event. In fact, the origins of the museum can be traced back to 1959, when an art critic named Alexandre Cirici Pellicer joined with his peer Cesáreo Rodriguez Aguilera to bring together a group of contemporary artists for a series of 23 exhibitions that he hoped would help form the beginning of a new contemporary art museum in Barcelona. Unfortunately, the two ceased working together in 1963 and the idea of a museum was dropped.
However, the mantle was continued some years later by Minister of Culture of Catalonia, Joan Rigol, who suggested the establishment of a contemporary art museum once more in 1985. In 1986, the American architectural firm Richard Meier & Partners was recommended by the City Council to design the building and the MACBA Foundation was formed in 1987. Meier was officially commissioned to build the museum that same year, a controversial decision as no actual collection to go inside the building had yet been formed. The museum was intended to open in time for the 1992 Summer Olympics but was not completed until some three years after the fact.
Today, the museum presents the work of important and leading artists from all over the globe from the 1940s onwards in an ever-changing calendar of exhibitions that are switched up every three to six months. Upon opening, a permanent collection of 1,100 works had been established and now stands at around 5,000 pieces today, with works from the mid-20th century on and a focus on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art, although some international artists are also represented. Famous names who have been shown at the museum include Tàpies, Fontana, Saura, and Klee and most exhibitions at the museum tend to be special temporary showcases of the works of named artists from sculptors to painters to filmmakers. In addition, the museum regularly hosts various workshops, conferences, film projects, audiovisual performances, and more; all of which is housed inside Meier's striking Modernist and light-filled block as well as the converted 15th century chapel, two halls, and the Plaça dels Àngels itself, which are often used to host the activities of the museum.
A must for serious art-lovers and culture vultures who have found a villa in Barcelona, this fascinating museum is one of the most interesting in all of Spain but, perhaps, not quite everyone's cup of tea. If you're open-minded and engaged, however, you're sure to enjoy it. Plus, if you have an interest in skateboarding, you'll be interested to know that the area in front of the museum happens to be a globally famous and iconic skateboarding spot where you'll regularly see skateboarders tearing it up.
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona
Plaça dels Angels, 1
+34 934 120 810
However, the mantle was continued some years later by Minister of Culture of Catalonia, Joan Rigol, who suggested the establishment of a contemporary art museum once more in 1985. In 1986, the American architectural firm Richard Meier & Partners was recommended by the City Council to design the building and the MACBA Foundation was formed in 1987. Meier was officially commissioned to build the museum that same year, a controversial decision as no actual collection to go inside the building had yet been formed. The museum was intended to open in time for the 1992 Summer Olympics but was not completed until some three years after the fact.
Today, the museum presents the work of important and leading artists from all over the globe from the 1940s onwards in an ever-changing calendar of exhibitions that are switched up every three to six months. Upon opening, a permanent collection of 1,100 works had been established and now stands at around 5,000 pieces today, with works from the mid-20th century on and a focus on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art, although some international artists are also represented. Famous names who have been shown at the museum include Tàpies, Fontana, Saura, and Klee and most exhibitions at the museum tend to be special temporary showcases of the works of named artists from sculptors to painters to filmmakers. In addition, the museum regularly hosts various workshops, conferences, film projects, audiovisual performances, and more; all of which is housed inside Meier's striking Modernist and light-filled block as well as the converted 15th century chapel, two halls, and the Plaça dels Àngels itself, which are often used to host the activities of the museum.
A must for serious art-lovers and culture vultures who have found a villa in Barcelona, this fascinating museum is one of the most interesting in all of Spain but, perhaps, not quite everyone's cup of tea. If you're open-minded and engaged, however, you're sure to enjoy it. Plus, if you have an interest in skateboarding, you'll be interested to know that the area in front of the museum happens to be a globally famous and iconic skateboarding spot where you'll regularly see skateboarders tearing it up.
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona
Plaça dels Angels, 1
+34 934 120 810
Photo credit: Acountries / CC BY-SA 3.0
