Free Museums in Barcelona? Yes, There Are!

You might not believe it, but there are actually free museums in Barcelona. You can visit them on certain days, and you won’t have to pay anything at the entrance. There are also museums that offer discounts for children, groups or people over the age of 65. Another way to benefit from certain advantages throughout the entire city, is getting the Barcelona Card.

So on what days can you visit museums in Barcelona for free? Most of them open their doors to the public for free on every first Sunday of the month. For some it’s only Sunday afternoons. As to prevent any confusion, ShBarcelona has come up with a list of 9 interesting museums with free entry.

9 Free museums in Barcelona

Science Museum Barcelona

Barcelona’s Science Museum – or in Spanish the Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Barcelona – is the perfect place to learn all about nature on a global scale and with the last few million years in the back of your mind. This is the ideal museum to visit with children.

• Free entry: Every first Sunday of the month (all day) and every Sunday of the year from 15h. Entry is also free on February 12 (when Santa Eulàlia is celebrated), May 18 (on the Día Internacional de los Museos) and on September 24 (with la Mercè).
• Address: Plaza Leonardo da Vinci, 4-5 (Metro L4 – Maresme-Forum stop)
• Regular entry fee: 6 €

Center of Contemporary Culture Barcelona (CCCB)

Barcelona’s Centre of Contemporary Culture – or the Centro de Cultura Contemporánea – is one of the city’s most visited museums. Contemporary culture is researched extensively, and you can visit several departments inside the museum, like art, philosophy, music, film, literature… The museum also takes part in Barcelona’s Night of the Museum.

• Free entry: Every Sunday between 15 and 20h, but also on May 18 (on the Día Internacional de los Museos), on the Night of the Museum and on September 24 (during la Mercè). Reservations are necessary.
• Address: Montealegre, 5 (Metro L1 y L2 – Universitat stop)
• Regular entry fee: 6 €

CCCB (Barcelona)

Museum of Catalan Archaeology (MAC)

The Museo de Arqueología de Cataluña is one of Barcelona’s free museums and here you can be a witness of prehistoric times by observing archaeological remains. You can find out everything about the origins of Mediterranean civilisations.

• Free entry: Entry is always free for children upto 16 years old. There’s free entry every first Sunday of the month (all day) and on the following days: February 12 (Santa Eulàlia), April 23 (Sant Jordi, the Spanish equivalent of Valentine’s Day), May 18 (on International Museum Day), September 11 (Day of Catalonia) and on September 24 (with la Mercè).
• Address: Passeig de Santa Madrona, 39-41 (Metro L1 and L3 – Plaça Espanya stop)
• Regular entry fee: 6 €

Museum of World Cultures

This museum lets you observe cultural objects and art work from around the world (Africa, Asia, America and Oceana).

• Free entry: Every Sunday between 15 and 19:30h, but also every first Sunday of the month from 10h.
• Address: Carrer de Montcada, 12 (Metro L4 – Jaume I stop)
• Regular entry fee: 5 €

Related article: Unusual Museums of Barcelona

National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC)

Inside the National Palace of Montjuïc (free admission as well) you will find the MNAC with an incredible collection of Roman art up to the mid twentieth century.

• Free entry: Entry is always free for children up to 16 and people over 65 years old. There’s free entry every first Sunday of the month (all day) and every Saturday from 15h. Admission is also free on May 18 (on International Museum Day) and September 11 (Day of Catalonia).
• Address: Palau Nacional en el Parc de Montjuïc (Metro L1 y L3 – Plaça Espanya stop)
• Regular entry fee: 12 €

MNAC (Barcelona)

Barcelona’s Maritime museum

The Maritime museum teaches you all about maritime history, with information on the very first sea and ocean navigators and old ships to observe, all on display in a remarkable gothic building.

• Free entry: Every Sunday from 15h.
• Address: Avinguda de les Drassanes, (Metro L3 – Drassanes stop)
• Regular entry fee: 10 €

Barcelona’s Picasso museum

This is a must see museum in Barcelona, with over 3500 works of art by the Andalusian artist. It is no surprise that this is the largest collection in the whole world.

• Free entry: Thursdays from 16h and every first Sunday of the month. Entry is also free on February 12 (Santa Eulàlia), May 18 (Día Internacional de los Museos) and September 24 (with la Mercè) and several other dates indicated by the museum.
• Address: Carrer de Montcada, 23 (Metro L4 – Jaume I)
• Regular entry fee: 12 €

Music museum

The Museo de la Musicá represents the musical legacy of Catalonia, and it is certainly impressive. You can see a collection of over 2000 instruments and listen to over 10,000 sound recordings.

• Free entry: Every Sunday from 15h and every Thursday between 18 and 21h. You can also enter the museum for free on every first Sunday of the month (all day).
• Address: L’Auditori, Carrer de Lepant 150, 2ª (Metro L1 – Glòries stop)
• Regular entry fee: 6 €

Historical botanical gardens of Barcelona

The last museum on this list of Barcelona’s free museums is a garden that is located inside Parc Montjuïc. It was created in 1930 and was even closed between 1986 and 2003. Now this is the perfect spot to watch hundreds of floral species and enjoy a moment of quiet in a busy city like Barcelona.

• Free entry: Every day of the year.
• Address: Avinguda dels Montanyans, 26 (Metro L1 and L3 – Plaça Espanya stop)

Now that you are aware of 9 free museums in Barcelona it’s time to go and visit them! Remember that if you ever need a real estate agency with experience in Barcelona and knowledge of the city, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to be of service.