Not too long ago, I was in Barcelona for a short work trip. It wasn’t a long stay, but I managed to find a bit of time to explore the city, which I was really happy about. One of the best tips I got came from @ninaeatshere, who mentioned that the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya offers free entry on weekends. That immediately caught my attention and sounded like the perfect way to spend a free afternoon.
Since it was a Sunday and there weren’t many things open or going on, we decided to walk up to the museum. It was actually quite close to our hotel, so getting there on foot made sense. I remember the walk up clearly. A few others were heading in the same direction, and even though the museum sits on a hill, the stairs leading up to it were easy to climb. It was a calm and pleasant walk.
When we got closer, the area in front of the museum had a really nice vibe. People were sitting on the steps, relaxing and enjoying the weather. There were also a few street artists and musicians performing, which gave the whole place a lively and welcoming feel. It wasn’t just about the museum at that point. It felt like a place where people simply enjoyed being.
Before going inside, we took a moment to enjoy the view from the top. From the steps in front of the museum, you can see a wide stretch of Barcelona, and the view is absolutely beautiful. It’s one of those moments where you feel lucky to be exactly where you are. We went in and started exploring the museum itself. The building is impressive, and the exhibitions were much more engaging than I expected. I didn’t go in with a detailed plan or any specific expectations, but walking through the galleries turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and relaxing parts of the whole trip.
Once we got inside, we simply followed the flow of people. Everyone seemed to be heading into this massive hall, so we went along with them. The space we entered was huge. The ceilings were incredibly high, and all around the edges there were rows of seats. It almost felt like some kind of festival venue or concert hall. What really stood out was this enormous pipe organ. It dominated the room and gave the whole space a very grand, almost dramatic feeling.
Down below, there were several entrances and exits. People were constantly coming and going, so we figured we’d just pick one and check it out. Turns out we might have accidentally entered through one of the exits and ended up walking straight into an exhibition. At first, we weren’t entirely sure if we were allowed to be there, but since the museum was free that day, I don’t think it really mattered. No one stopped us, and honestly, the whole experience felt pretty relaxed and open anyway.
Inside the exhibition, there were a lot of really old paintings on display. I couldn’t even tell you exactly what period they were from or where most of them came from, to be honest. But what struck me was that it was the first time I had ever seen such a large number of historical paintings in one place. It felt kind of surreal.
One thing I definitely noticed was how many portraits there were. It seemed like every other piece was some kind of portrait painting. You could spend hours just studying all the different faces, expressions, and styles. After about 20 minutes or so, we felt like we had seen enough for the moment, so we decided to step out and move on to explore more of the museum.
The next exhibition we visited was quite different. This one focused more on modern art, and right away it felt more engaging to me. We spent around 45 minutes walking through the rooms, looking at sculptures, massive paintings, posters, and intricate woodwork. The variety of materials and styles made it all feel more alive, more immediate somehow.
I found this part of the museum much more interesting than the previous one. Maybe it’s because I connect more with modern art, or maybe it was just the mood I was in that day. What stood out to me was that a lot of the artwork was centered around Catalonia... its history, culture, and identity. It gave the whole exhibition a strong sense of place, and I felt like I was learning something about the region just by looking at the art.
After we had finished exploring the two other exhibitions, we went back to the main hall. This time though, we stayed on the upper level. There’s a walkway that runs along the inside of the hall, so you can loop around and get a completely different perspective. One of the coolest parts was standing right in front of that massive organ we had seen earlier from below. Up close, it felt even more impressive.
Altogether, we spent about two and a half to three hours in the museum. Before heading back to the Hotel, we took a bit more time to enjoy the view. From the museum terrace, you can see the city stretching out in front of you, and even looking back at the building itself from down below is beautiful. It’s one of those places that looks just as good from the outside as it does from the inside.
All in all, it was a lovely little trip for a spontaneous Sunday outing. It gave me a chance to learn a bit more about Catalonia in a way that didn’t feel forced or overly touristy. If I ever find myself back in Barcelona with more time on my hands, I’ll definitely visit the museum again. No question.
