A Palace or a Museum?
El Palacio Nacional
The 1929 Barcelona International Exposition was held on the mountain of Montjuic. For this reason, a series of buildings were constructed, including the National Palace.
The building was designed to host the main acts of the event and to receive personalities from all over the world. Its hosts were King Alfonso XIII and his wife Maria Eugenia.
Its spectacular architecture and classicist style arouses the curiosity of hundreds of people every day. Many are attracted by its exterior and are unaware that inside is the MNAC.
The Collection
Today inside the Palau Nacional we find the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. . In 1934 some of the rooms were adapted to become a museum and exhibit the artworks.
The permanent collection is composed of Romanesque art, medieval art – Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque – and Catalan modernism. In addition, various temporary exhibitions can also be visited.
Tourists and art lovers from all over the world visit the museum just for the collection of Romanesque art, because it is the largest in Europe and one of the most important in the world.
Montjuic, a privileged location
The MNAC is located at the end of Maria Cristina avenue. This promenade starts at plaza España and ends with the grand staircase leading to the museum. From its elevated position there are privileged views of the city.
The surroundings of the museum are ideal to spend the day enjoying cultural activities. Montjuic is full of tourist attractions such as the Miro Museum, the Montjuic castle, the Magic Fountain or the Olympic Ring.
It is accessible by public transport (metro and bus) and has a tourist bus stop, which facilitates the arrival of tourists coming from cruise ships. There is also a free parking lot accessible to people with reduced mobility.
The looker
Many do not know it but the museum has a large roof terrace with panoramic views of the city. This terrace has been converted into a viewpoint and can be visited. From there you can see from Tibidabo to La Barceloneta. An incredible place to enjoy a sunset for only 2€.
The museum is open every day except Mondays. The first Sunday of the month the entrance is free although you can always find discounts and promotions. The main entrances are these:
- General: access to the interior of the Palace + the permanent collection + temporary exhibitions.
- Temporary: access to the interior of the Palace + temporary exhibitions.
- Basic: access to the interior of the Palace and its facilities such as the Rooftop.
- General: acceso al interior del Palacio + la colección permanente + exposiciones temporales.
- Temporales: acceso al interior del Palacio + exposiciones temporales.
- Básica: acceso al interior del Palacio y sus instalaciones como el Mirador.
The Basic ticket is an ideal option for those who do not want or can not invest so much time inside the museum, but want to discover the interior of the building and its rooms. You can not miss spaces such as: the Oval Room, the Throne Room, the Dome, the Sert Room, the Organ or the Rooftop.
From Hotel Arc La Rambla we encourage you to visit this jewel of Barcelona.
