UNUSUAL MUSEUMS IN BARCELONA: THE TOP 7
Unusual museums in Barcelona? They're all over the place! As you might know culture and history play a big role in Barcelona. There are actually over 60 museums in this city! Some of them are tourist traps and you have to pay tons of money to check out some unimportant relic or sculpture. In this blog we will show you the Top 7 unusual museums in Barcelona. These are not big fan favourites like the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya but more off the beaten path or just plain off beat.
This museum is super small and not very well known, which is such a shame because the exhibition is modern and really interesting. It is all about the history of firefighters in Barcelona. Various vehicles and equipment from different eras are displayed. This museum is educational, fun for the whole family, and great for school trips.
This one is an oddball and different from most museums here in Barcelona. It doesn't display paintings and mosaics but instead the total evolution of perfume bottles and flasks over the years and decades. There are about 5.000 containers from the past and also the most modern creations of today's perfumes. The exhibition also shows stuff like old catalogs, labels and advertising material. The museum is divided into two well-defined parts. One part shows the glasses and containers of ancient cultures in a chronological order and the other part shows the flasks of the industrialised perfumery. If you can't visit the museum you can check out the website. There is a lot of information and you can do a "mini visit".
This museum is definitely something for people with a sweet tooth. It is located very centrally in the Borne inside the former Sant Agustí monastery. It shows the history of chocolate in Europe and how it found its way to us. The Chocolate Museum is one of the smaller museums in Barcelona but also has one of the most fascinating exhibitions. The smell of chocolate is always with you and you also get a piece of chocolate at the entrance. If you want to have more chocolate you can buy it in the shop at the entrance of the museum. The "museu de la xocolata" offers a wide range of activities and workshops for children and adults. It is all about tasting and learning about chocolate!
The Erotic Museum of Barcelona is really famous. It was opened in 1997 and is now one of the best known museums in Barcelona. It is situated at La Rambla, opposite La Boqueria, which is known as one of the best markets in Europe. The exhibition contains about 800 pieces and offers a fascinating tour through the history of eroticism. You can learn something about sexual records, sexuality in different cultures or discover the private erotic video collection of King Alfonso XIII. You may think that this museum is kind of dirty and filthy but in fact it is really informative and impressive. The museum is privately owned and run which means that the tickets aren't that cheap. As an adult you have to pay 9€. If you want to have an audio guide or book a guided tour through the museum you have to pay more. But it is definitely worth it! You can check out the website for more information.
If you like the power of magic you have to visit the "Magician King - El Rei de la Magia". You can find him in the Borne district. You can't miss the remarkable red door on Carrer Princesa. The original shop was established in 1881 and with a history of over 135 years it is one of the world's oldest shops and museums specialising in magic. The shop and the museum are divided. The museum is situated in Carrer Jonqueres just a few steps away from the original shop. The exhibition is small but it shows the history of magicians with old books, outfits and tools of magicians from earlier eras. There is also a original costume of Joaquim Partagas who is the founder of the museum. If you visit the museum you can also buy tickets for magic shows. The Magician King also offers workshops for both kids and adults.
This museum is quite a... let's say, relaxed one. Yes you heard it right. It is about hash, marihuana, hemp, weed, dope, green, maryjane or whatever you want to call it. The exhibition is displayed in the Palau Mornau which is a wonderful building in the heart of the Gothic quarter. The director of the museum, Ben Dronkers, found the building in really bad shape. Accompanied by the local architect Jordi Romeu he restored the Palau Mornau. In 2012 the restoration was finished and the muesum opened on the 11th of may. There is another location of the museum in Amsterdam and and together they count over 2 million visitors. The exhibition is about cannabis, how it was used in different cultures and the inspiring effect of consuming. It is really one of the most Unusual Museums in Barcelona.
This museum is a really special one which you should definitively visit. It is located at the Montjuic Cemetery. The exhibition is the only public one in Europe which contains a large collection of funeral carriages. It was set up in 1970 and to be honest it seems like a creepy idea for a museum but as soon as you enter you will like it. You can admire 13 carriages and 6 coaches which were used to transfer the relatives to the church and cemetery. All of these vehicles are beautifully decorated and look very historic. There are also 3 motor hearses which complete the collection. There are boards next to every hearse which give you information about the era and the function. The whole exhibition is really interactive and augmented reality is used to make the experience more lifelike. You can combine your stay at the museum with a visit at the funeral library. This is one of the most important ones in Europe and it contains over 3600 publications over funeral customs.
7. Fire Station Museum (Espai Bombers-Parc De La Prevenció)
This museum is super small and not very well known, which is such a shame because the exhibition is modern and really interesting. It is all about the history of firefighters in Barcelona. Various vehicles and equipment from different eras are displayed. This museum is educational, fun for the whole family, and great for school trips.
Espai Bombers-Parc de Prevenció Mon-Fri: 10-14h Sat: 10-14h, 15-20h Sun: 10-15h Website
6. Perfume Museum (Museu del Perfum)
This one is an oddball and different from most museums here in Barcelona. It doesn't display paintings and mosaics but instead the total evolution of perfume bottles and flasks over the years and decades. There are about 5.000 containers from the past and also the most modern creations of today's perfumes. The exhibition also shows stuff like old catalogs, labels and advertising material. The museum is divided into two well-defined parts. One part shows the glasses and containers of ancient cultures in a chronological order and the other part shows the flasks of the industrialised perfumery. If you can't visit the museum you can check out the website. There is a lot of information and you can do a "mini visit".
Museu del Perfum Mon-Fri: 9:30-20:30h Sat: 10-20:30h Sun: - Website
5. Chocolate Museum (Museu de la Xocolata)
This museum is definitely something for people with a sweet tooth. It is located very centrally in the Borne inside the former Sant Agustí monastery. It shows the history of chocolate in Europe and how it found its way to us. The Chocolate Museum is one of the smaller museums in Barcelona but also has one of the most fascinating exhibitions. The smell of chocolate is always with you and you also get a piece of chocolate at the entrance. If you want to have more chocolate you can buy it in the shop at the entrance of the museum. The "museu de la xocolata" offers a wide range of activities and workshops for children and adults. It is all about tasting and learning about chocolate!
Museu de la Xocolata Mon-Sat: 10-19h Sun: 10-15h Website
4. Erotic Museum (Museu Eròtic de Barcelona)
The Erotic Museum of Barcelona is really famous. It was opened in 1997 and is now one of the best known museums in Barcelona. It is situated at La Rambla, opposite La Boqueria, which is known as one of the best markets in Europe. The exhibition contains about 800 pieces and offers a fascinating tour through the history of eroticism. You can learn something about sexual records, sexuality in different cultures or discover the private erotic video collection of King Alfonso XIII. You may think that this museum is kind of dirty and filthy but in fact it is really informative and impressive. The museum is privately owned and run which means that the tickets aren't that cheap. As an adult you have to pay 9€. If you want to have an audio guide or book a guided tour through the museum you have to pay more. But it is definitely worth it! You can check out the website for more information.
Museu Eròtic de Barcelona Mon-Sun: 10-23:30h Website
3. Magic Museum (El Rei de la Magia)
If you like the power of magic you have to visit the "Magician King - El Rei de la Magia". You can find him in the Borne district. You can't miss the remarkable red door on Carrer Princesa. The original shop was established in 1881 and with a history of over 135 years it is one of the world's oldest shops and museums specialising in magic. The shop and the museum are divided. The museum is situated in Carrer Jonqueres just a few steps away from the original shop. The exhibition is small but it shows the history of magicians with old books, outfits and tools of magicians from earlier eras. There is also a original costume of Joaquim Partagas who is the founder of the museum. If you visit the museum you can also buy tickets for magic shows. The Magician King also offers workshops for both kids and adults.
El Rei de la Magia Wed-Fri: 16-20h Sat-Sun: 11-14h, 16-20h Website
2. Hash, Marijuana & Hemp Museum
This museum is quite a... let's say, relaxed one. Yes you heard it right. It is about hash, marihuana, hemp, weed, dope, green, maryjane or whatever you want to call it. The exhibition is displayed in the Palau Mornau which is a wonderful building in the heart of the Gothic quarter. The director of the museum, Ben Dronkers, found the building in really bad shape. Accompanied by the local architect Jordi Romeu he restored the Palau Mornau. In 2012 the restoration was finished and the muesum opened on the 11th of may. There is another location of the museum in Amsterdam and and together they count over 2 million visitors. The exhibition is about cannabis, how it was used in different cultures and the inspiring effect of consuming. It is really one of the most Unusual Museums in Barcelona.
Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum Mon-Sun: 10-22h Website
1. Museum of Funeral Carriages (Museu de Carrosses Fúnebres)
This museum is a really special one which you should definitively visit. It is located at the Montjuic Cemetery. The exhibition is the only public one in Europe which contains a large collection of funeral carriages. It was set up in 1970 and to be honest it seems like a creepy idea for a museum but as soon as you enter you will like it. You can admire 13 carriages and 6 coaches which were used to transfer the relatives to the church and cemetery. All of these vehicles are beautifully decorated and look very historic. There are also 3 motor hearses which complete the collection. There are boards next to every hearse which give you information about the era and the function. The whole exhibition is really interactive and augmented reality is used to make the experience more lifelike. You can combine your stay at the museum with a visit at the funeral library. This is one of the most important ones in Europe and it contains over 3600 publications over funeral customs.
Museu de Carrosses Fúnebres Sat-Sun: 10-14h WebsiteWhat do you think? Have you seen other Unusual Museums in Barcelona? Let us know in the comments! - Daniel
