Multiple unique historic sites, museums, and landmarks operate under the umbrella of the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona (in English, the Barcelona History Museum) brand. The flagship branch of the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona (often abbreviated simply as MUHBA) is located at Plaça del Rei, in the midst of the city’s vibrant Gothic Quarter. There visitors can explore an extensive stretch of Roman-era ruins that were excavated during the twentieth century. The museum spans the remains of ancient streets, churches, baths, villas, and more, with educational exhibits that tell the story of how Barcelona grew from a Roman settlement into a modern city.
History of the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona (MUHBA)
Approximately 100 years ago, in order to make space to complete the construction of Via Laietana, the medieval palace Casa Padellàs was taken apart and painstakingly moved (brick by brick) to Plaça del Rei. As Casa Padellàs was being rebuilt at its new location, crews uncovered a huge swath of ancient ruins. Archaeological experts were brought in to examine the findings; they deemed the discoveries to be the remains of the Roman city of Barcino—the original city of Barcelona.
As a result, the decision was made to preserve the site as a museum, and so what we know today as the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona first opened its doors to the public in 1943. At that time, the attraction was called the Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat, and it consisted solely of the Plaça del Rei excavations; in ensuing decades, numerous other historic sites across the city would come to be associated with the Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat brand. In 2007, the attraction’s name was changed to the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona.
Museu d’Historia de Barcelona (MUHBA) Highlights
The Museu d’Historia de Barcelona at Plaça del Rei is home to several square miles of underground ruins that have been laboriously excavated and meticulously preserved. As you take a self-guided tour of these spaces, you’ll have an unparalleled glimpse of the living spaces that defined the Roman settlement of Barcino some two millennia ago; the ruins include all types of former churches, baths, streets, homes, and more.
The core permanent exhibition located within Casa Padellàs is called Barcelona Flashback. This interactive installation tells the story of over 2,000 years of Barcelona history, taking visitors on an exhilirating journey from Roman times to the present day. Barcelona Flashback includes personal testimonies, historical artifacts, and powerful images that combine to give guests a sense of what life has been like here for multiple generations of Barcelona citizens.
Casa Padellàs is also home to numerous historic rooms that today serve as exhibition spaces which host a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Recent temporary exhibitions of note staged here include Domènech i Montaner: Urban Planner, a retrospective on the work of the famed architect responsible for Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau; Sarrià and Barcelona 1921: Towards the Metropolitan City, which tells the story of how the community of Sarrià became a part of Barcelona proper; and a show that brought together rarely exhibited paintings by the eighteenth-century artist Josep Bernat Flaugier.
More to See and Do at the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona (MUHBA)
A visit to one or more of the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona’s many branches can create a number of special memories. Keep reading below for additional attraction details.
*While most visitors who buy tickets to the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona head straight for the Plaça del Rei headquarters described at length, do keep in mind that your MUHBA admission does actually cover entry at several different attractions. These include MUHBA Park Güell, MUHBA Santa Caterina, and MUHBA Temple of Augustus, just to name a few of the MUHBA-operated sites scattered throughout Barcelona.
*Of the various other MUHBA attractions, the most notable destination is Via Sepulcral Romana, an open-air, ancient Roman cemetery located at Plaça de la Vila de Madrid. This popular attraction has well-preserved Roman graves, artifacts, and more.
*The Museu d’Historia de Barcelona bookstore is a terrific place to find a quality Barcelona souvenir or accessory; it’s also full of fantastic titles on a range of fascinating topics pertaining to the city’s rich history.
*Given that the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona runs numerous facilities and tourist attractions throughout the city, the organization sponsors a robust lineup of special events. These activities can include everything from guest lectures to academic conferences to family-friendly workshops. For a complete listing of upcoming museum activities for all MUHBA sites, be sure to check out the museum’s official website.
*Be advised that, unlike many Barcelona attractions, the final admission to MUHBA’s Plaça del Rei location occurs some 45 minutes before the museum’s posted closing time.
Why the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona (MUHBA) Should Be on Your Must-See List
Because the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona operates so many different historic sites across the city, it enables visitors with different sightseeing tastes to experience multiple distinctive attractions for the price of one regular outing. If you’ve only got time for one MUHBA site, though, the Plaça del Rei location is an excellent choice, as it does a great job preserving Barcelona’s storied past while explaining in an engaging fashion how the city evolved into what it is today.