The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona—the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, or MACBA for short—is a contemporary art museum located in the multicultural Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, just a few minutes west of La Rambla and Plaça de Catalunya. MACBA is best known for the rotating selection of temporary exhibitions it hosts throughout the year, though it also possesses a small collection of Catalan-centric contemporary art dating back to the 1960s. The museum also has a gift shop, restaurant, and a lively calendar of activities.
History of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)
Though the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) first opened its doors to the public in the fall of 1995, it was a project some 35 years in the making. That’s because local artists, critics, and politicians first began discussing the idea of opening a contemporary art museum in Barcelona as far back as the late 1950s. Despite broad support for the notion, no real headway was made until the mid-1980s, when a foundation was established to raise funds to establish just such an institution.
When MACBA opened its doors, it lacked a conventional permanent collection. In the 30 years that have passed since it first got its start, however, an aggressive acquisitions program has seen the museum come into possession of thousands of artworks. The museum expanded significantly in 2014, when it purchased multiple nearby buildings in order to expand its programming space.
Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) Highlights
The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona is best known for curating well-regarded exhibitions of contemporary art on all manner of themes, topics, and artists. By their very nature, these exhibitions are ever-changing—so what you’ll experience during you visit depends entirely on when you visit. Having said that, recent exhibits of note include Unknown City Beneath the Mist: New Images from Barcelona’s Peripheries, a show of photographs documenting how urban development has transformed the city in the wake of the 1992 Summer Olympics; Christian Marclay: Compositions, a series of works by the acclaimed artist that explore how music informs his artistic practice; and Daniel Steegmann Mangrané: A Leaf Shapes the Eye, a fascinating retrospective that brings together a quarter-century of the artist’s multifaceted work.
In addition to its rotating temporary exhibitions, the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona has a small but impressive permanent collection. Numbering approximately 5,000 pieces, MACBA’s permanent collection features a strong focus on Catalan and Spanish artists working from 1960 to the present day. Notable works typically on display include Keith Haring’s powerful mural Todos Juntos Podemos Parar el SIDA, and Jorge Oteiza’s monumental La Ola, which is located in the plaza directly outside the museum itself.
MACBA’s building is considered by many a striking piece of architecture. Designed by the renowned American architect Richard Meier—the same individual responsible for the Getty Center in Los Angeles and Atlanta’s High Museum of Art—the striking Modernist structure is a sight to behold. Its gleaming white surfaces and enormous windows (that let in abundant sunshine) bring out the best in any and all of the works showcased in the galleries here.
More to See and Do at the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)
MACBA is much more than just temporary exhibits and selections from its permanent collections. Here are a few more things to know about the attraction as you plan your upcoming visit.
*From guided tours to family workshops, MACBA routinely boasts a healthy calendar of activities open to the public. For more information on the sort of special event that might be taking place during your time at the museum, visit the “Activities” webpage on MACBA’s official website.
*If you’re looking for a free way to get even more out of your visit to the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, consider downloading the MACBA app on your phone. This complimentary service provides you easy access to audio guides, explanatory materials, curated videos, and more.
*The MACBA store, just like the museum itself, is open every day of the week except for Tuesday (up until 30 minutes before the attraction closes). There you’ll find a nice assortment of art books, prints, accessories, and souvenirs by which to remember your visit.
*MACBA Bar is open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This warm space serves up casual Mediterranean-inspired dishes alongside a full drinks menu. The tapas here are a particular favorite, and the outdoor terrace is a wonderful place to enjoy your meal.
*The museum is very up front about when it’s least busy—that would be after 2:00pm during the week, or anytime in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays. If you have some flexibility in your itinerary and you’d like to have one of Barcelona’s best contemporary art museums to yourself (relatively speaking, of course), this is something to keep in mind.
Why the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) Should Be on Your Must-See List
Contemporary art is a vast and varied discipline, and you never quite know what you’re going to get from any given exhibition showing under that banner. The best contemporary art museums in the business today regularly show a constellation of artworks that challenge the audience’s assumptions about style, genre, and a whole lot more. If you’re an art lover looking to experience something new and different during your visit to Barcelona, you’ll definitely want to consider making time to check out whatever is showing at Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona while you’re in town.
