The National Art Museum of Catalonia

1000 years of art: the "Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya", or MNAC, offers a complete overview of art from the beginnings of Catalonia in the Middle Ages to the Second World War. It was founded in the 19th century as part of the cultural renaissance of Catalonia.

From the greatest Romanesque frescoes to the beauty and imagination of Art Nouveau, the MNAC shows the masterworks of a millennium of Catalan culture. At the same time the exhibits relate the history of Catalonia with all its triumphs and tragedies.

First and foremost, the MNAC's collection of Romanesque art is considered one of the largest and most important ones in the world. Its highlight is a collection of outstanding Romanesque frescoes dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. They were rescued from small churches in the Pyrenees in the 1920s and can now be seen in replicas of the original architecture. The collection of Gothic art also contains outstanding works from all areas of the former Kingdom of Aragon.

A second focus is the collection of Modern Art with large works of Catalan Modernism, Noucentisme, and the avant-garde. The perfect place to get lost in the serene beauty of Art Nouveau, or ponder the novel ideas of radically modern artists...

The Museum

History of the Museum

The history of the National Art Museum or MNAC is rooted in the Renaixença, or revival of Catalan culture. It had declined following the Nueva Planta decrees that ended the autonomy of Catalonia. But in the 19th century, Barcelona saw a huge boom…

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The Middle Ages

Medieval Catalonia was home to the mighty Crown of Aragón; Barcelona and Valencia were great metropolises. And in tiny village churches in the Pyrenees unknown painters created astonishing pictorial worlds. Centuries later they were rescued in a dramatic operation...

The Romanesque Age

In the early 12th century, humble churches in remote villages of the Pyrenees were magnificently decorated. Today, frescoes from the Vall de Boí, Taüll and the Pedret circle are among the most astounding examples of Romanesque art in all of Europe…

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The Gothic Age

In the 13th century, the Crown of Aragon grew ever more powerful. At the same time art changed. The International Gothic originated in France and Burgundy and united all of Europe. The Hispano-Flemish School heralded the Renaissance in Catalonia.

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Focus on Madrid: The Great Spanish Masters

The Renaissance changed Europe. For Catalonia it brought decline: After the unification of Spain, the country's centre was Madrid, colonisation reduced the importance of Mediterranean trade. In the 18th century King Felipe V suppressed Catalan culture...

Renaissance and Baroque

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Renaissance changed Europe. For Catalonia it brought big changes: After the unification of Spain, it was increasingly marginalized. Now Madrid was the center, and painters like El Greco and Velazquez revolutionized art…

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Renaixença and Modernisme: Revival of Catalan Culture

19th century Catalonia was a centre of industrialization. The economic boom brought new self-awareness leading to the Renaixença, or "Rebirth" of Catalan language and culture. The "Modernisme" then made Barcelona one of the capitals of Art Nouveau...

The Age of Modernity

With the boom of the 19th century in Barcelona the arts flourished. The MNAC shows some of the most beautiful examples of Modern style, or Modernisme; works by architects like Domènech, Puig or Antoni Gaudí, and painters like Casas and Rusiñol.

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Address

Museu Nacional d´Art de Catalunya
Plaça dels Àngels, 1
08001 Barcelona

Opening Hours

Oct - Apr
Tue to Sat 10:00-18:00
Sun and public holidays 10:00-15:00
May to Sept
Tue to Sat 10:00-20:00
Sun and public holidays 10:00-15:00.
Mondays closed, except public holidays
Site closed Jan 1st, May 1st, 25 Dec 25th