Ethnology Museum of Barcelona The Legacy of Daily Life
Ethnology is more than just a set of pieces. The objects are the starting point allowing visitors to interpret their social surroundings. This is the main premise of the current Ethnology Museum of Barcelona, fully renovated in 2015.
It began in the first decade of the 20th century, when a group of pioneering intellectuals in Catalan ethnology saw the need to preserve and interpret traditional societies. Ultimately, two institutions were opened, the collections of which would form the foundation of the Ethnology Museum of Barcelona: the Museum of Popular Arts and Industries (1942) and the Ethnological and Colonial Museum (1949). They collected and exhibited objects from the five continents. Currently a part of this collection can be seen in the Museum of World Cultures.
After its latest remodelling, the Ethnology Museum of Barcelona is now focused on the Catalan area, but without forgetting its relationship with other communities and cultures. The main hub is the permanent exhibit “Sentir el patrimoni” (Feel the Legacy).
The central space of the room is occupied by six large objects (a boat, a wine press, a loom, a blacksmith blower and an herbal cabinet) which symbolize six thematic areas that make up all cultures. They are surrounded by other pieces that show the peculiarities and the universality of human culture. A whole side of the room is made up of a large frieze of objects of different geographic, historic and thematic origins.
The exhibit has audiovisual resources and multimedia content and even an area where visitors can touch certain pieces. It is also recommended to visit the two inner patios. In one of them, visitors can see the two giants of the city of Barcelona, Queen Violant and King James I, created by Domènech Umbert in the year 1984.
Plan your visit
What can I do?
Visit the museum’s reserve! On floor 0, you can find 5,000 pieces coming from the five continents, arranged thematically in 46 display cases. Did you know that this display is less than 10% of the materials preserved by the museum?
Timetables
Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 h to 19:00 h.
Sundays and public holidays from 10.00 am to 20.00 pm.
Closed on Mondays.
Prices
General admission 5.00 euros.
Reduced admission: 3.50 euros.
- People 16 to 29 years.
- People aged 65 or more.
- The unemployed or possessing small pink card.
- Families with up to two accompanying adults, as long as at least one of them is the father, mother or guardian. It is essential that there is at least one member under 16 years.
- Holders of large family.
- Holders of the card-parent family.
- The library card holders Barcelona.
- Holders of tickets for tourist buses, under the terms established in the agreement signed by the Institute of Culture of Barcelona and the official company or organization for the management of these buses.
- The groups of ten people.
- In all cases must prove their status.
Admission is combined and entitles you to visit the Museum of World Cultures and the Barcelona Museum of Ethnology.
Free entrance
- First Sunday of the month and every Sunday from 16.00 to 20.00.
- Guided tours for groups of study carried out during a morning or an afternoon bargaining.
- Children under 16 years old.
- Accredited members of ICOM.
- Accredited members of the Association of Museum of Catalonia.
- Professional tour guides in the exercise of their work.
- Formal education teachers accredited by the management of the school.
- When formal education teachers accompanying a group of students.
- Pink Card holders free.
- People who have the pass metropolitan accompanying a disabled person.
- Duly accredited journalists.
- Card holders Barcelona Card.
- People from the Register & Enjoy BCN
