Free entry to some of Barcelona’s best museums
Free museum days in Barcelona; Barcelona is the perfect destination for art and culture fanatics. The city is rich in history and has an abundance of museums to visit, many of which offer free entry on special dates and specific week days and hours.
Visiting a museum can be fairly expensive, which is why Barcelona is encouraging free cultural visits to give all citizens the chance to visit some of its best attractions such as the Picasso Museum, Parc Güell or MACBA.
Without a doubt there will be exhibitions, attractions and museums that you are willing to pay a small fee visit, but why not take advantage of the many free museum days Barcelona has to offer.
Most museums will offer special discounts for children, students, pensioners, families etc. Remember to check each museum for specific details. If you don’t fall into any of the specified categories, you can invest in discount cards.
If you have other tips for free museum days in Barcelona, please let us know!
Free museum days in Barcelona
Discount cards
Free museum days in Barcelona
Always free
Free entrance on Thursday afternoons
Free entrance on Saturday
Free entrance on Sunday (until 1pm)
Free entrance on Sunday (after 3pm)
- Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB)
- Jardí Botànic de Barcelona
- Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes
- Montjuïc Castle
- Museu Blau
- Museu de la Música
- Museu d’Història de Barcelona (MUHBA)
- Museu del Disseny de Barcelona
- Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món
- Museu Frederic Marès
- Museu Marítim de Barcelona
Free entrance on the first Sunday of every month
- Jardí Botànic de Barcelona
- Montjuïc Castle
- Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes
- Museu Blau
- Museu de la Música
- Museu d’Història de Barcelona (MUHBA)
- Museu del Disseny de Barcelona
- Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món
- Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
- Museu Frederic Marès
- Museu Picasso
- Palau Güell
Special free museum days in Barcelona
Santa Eulàlia
The Santa Eulàlia festivities, also known as La Laia, is arguably Barcelona’s biggest Winter celebration. As a tribute to the Patron Saint of Barcelona, some local museums are open to the general public for free during the festivities.
- 12th February
Sant Jordi
The 23rd of April marks Sant Jordi – the Valentine’s Day of Barcelona. This day celebrates love, books, roses, and the legend of Saint George and the Dragon. The streets are filled with roses and book stalls, and the people come together in processions and activities to make Barcelona an even livelier and joyful city. Read on to learn more about the history and traditions of the day, and what to expect going into this Sant Jordi season.
- 23rd April
International Museum Day
On one evening in May every year, Barcelona’s museums open up their doors to the public free of charge. This night provides a unique way to experience the current permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as the opportunity to participate in various activities such as family workshops, live performances and guided tours.
- 18th May
National Day of Catalonia
The National Day of Catalonia, also known as ‘Diada Nacional de Catalunya‘ or simply ‘La Diada’, is celebrated annually on the 11th September. This is a day where Catalan nationalists will pay their respects to fallen soldiers who died defending the city of Barcelona during the siege of 1714. Demonstrations in support of Catalonia’s independence are common, in addition to festivities where traditional Catalan cuisine, culture, and music are shared.
- 11th September
La Mercè
La Mercè is a huge festival in Barcelona that takes over the city in late September. The purpose of the festival is to honour the patron saint of Barcelona, Mare de Deu de la Mercè, also known as Mother of God of Mercy, or Our Lady of Mercy.
The celebration is made up of many different festivals that all work together to capture the cultural richness of the city, including free museum days in Barcelona.
- 24th September
Art Festivals in Barcelona
Llum Barcelona
Every February, alongside the Santa Eulàlia festival, Barcelona dazzles visitors with Llum Barcelona, an extraordinary fusion of art and technology through luminous installations. This year, from February 7th to 9th, the Poblenou neighborhood will be transformed into a stunning canvas of expressive light and imagery, where strategically placed illuminations breathe life into the city’s façades and celebrate its history and culture.
After attracting 240,000 visitors in its previous edition, this year’s Llum Barcelona extends its hours to accommodate more guests: Friday and Saturday from 7 PM to 1 AM, and Sunday from 7 PM to 11 PM. With most installations set in public spaces, the festival fosters a festive, participatory atmosphere, with nearly all installations being open-air and free to explore. Out of more than 30 installations this year, only four are housed indoors.
- 7th - 9th February
- City Centre
- More info
Barcelona Gallery Weekend
Barcelona Gallery Weekend is dedicated to promoting art collecting and reinforcing the rich and varied artistic fabric of Barcelona. They want to emphasize the value of galleries as culture-generating spaces open to all citizens. During this weekend, the event provides a general program of exhibitions, guided tours, meetings, presentations, performances, and other free activities around contemporary and modern art in the city, open for all to enjoy.
- 18th - 21st September
- Selected galleries in Barcelona and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat
- More info
La setmana del llibre en Català
This week is all about… you’ve guessed it; books! More than 200 exhibitors will showcase the diversity of Catalan literature. The first Catalan book week took place in 1983 and has now grown into an amazing weeklong event full of activities for both children and adults.
- 19th - 28th September
- Passeig Lluís Companys, Barcelona
- More info
48H Open House Barcelona
48H Open House Barcelona is a non-profit cultural association that aims to promote architecture and help others understand it as an essential component of culture. They host other events throughout the year as well, such as a seven week program starting in May aimed at reinforcing the link between architecture and citizenship. But their main event is the 48H Open House BCN architecture festival, which is held in October.
The festival is free, and has expanded into the cities surrounding Barcelona in the past few years. Many cultural products and services in the field of architecture are offered, including fun activities for people of all ages, access to some of the most impressive architecture works, free museum days in Barcelona and more. Check out their website for more information on this upcoming festival!
- 25th - 26th October
- All over Barcelona
- More info
Hugh
5 November 2023 at 15:42The most popular Museums with free entrance need you to book in advance. You cannot just turn up and expect to get in
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