MUSEU D’ART CONTEMPORANI AND CENTRE DE CULTURA CONTEMPORÀNIA
Barcelona’s sleek contemporary art museum stands in bold contrast to its surroundings. The Museu d’Art Contemporani (MACBA), together with the Centre de Cultura Contemporània (CCCB) nearby, has provided a focal point for the city since 1995 and has played an integral part in the rejuvenation of El Raval. MACBA’s permanent collection includes big-name Spanish and international artists, while the CCCB serves as a cutting-edge exploration of contemporary culture.
NEED TO KNOW
MACBA: Pl dels Àngels; 93 412 08 10; open 11am–8pm Mon, Wed, & Fri, 10am–9pm Thu, 10am–7:30pm Sat, 10am–3pm Sun; adm $11 (all exhibitions and Experience MACBA); free for under 14 and over 65; www.macba.cat/en
CCCB: C/Montalegre 5; 93 306 41 00; open 11am–8pm Tue–Sun; adm $7 for 1 show, $9 for 2 shows; reduced $4.50 for 1 show, $7 for 2 shows; free for under 12; free every Sunday 3–8pm; guided tours in English Jul & Aug: 11:30am Tuesday, 5:30pm Wednesday; www.cccb.org/en
- Pause at the nearby Plaça dels Àngels café (C/Ferlandina), which offers nouvelle/Catalan food to a hip crowd, or at CCCB’s C3 Bar.
- MACBA offers tours in sign language, as well as adapted tours for the visually impaired.
Galleries Guide
Although they share the Plaça Joan Coromines, MACBA and CCCB have separate entrances. Both multilevel galleries have flexible display spaces. MACBA has rest areas dotted among the galleries on all floors, allowing you to take breaks as you explore.
1. Façade
American architect Richard Meier’s stark, white, geometrical façade makes a startling impression against the backdrop of this dilapidated working-class neighborhood. Hundreds of panes of glass reflect the skateboarders who gather here daily.
2. Visiting Artist’s Space
The raison d’être of MACBA is this flexible area showing the best in contemporary art. Past exhibitions have included Zush and acclaimed painter Dieter Roth.
3. Revolving Permanent Collection
The permanent collection comprises over 2,000–mostly European–modern artworks, 10 percent of which are on show at any one time. All major contemp-orary artistic trends are represented. This 1974 work by Eduardo Arranz Bravo is titled Homea.
4. Interior Corridors
Space and light are omnipresent in the bare white walkways that hover between floors. Look through the glass panels onto the Plaça dels Àngels for myriad images before you even enter the gallery spaces.
5. Capella MACBA
One of the few surviving Renaissance chapels in Barcelona has been converted for use as MACBA’s temporary exhibition space. It is located in a former convent across the Plaça dels Àngels.
6. El Pati de les Dones/CCCB
This courtyard off Carrer Montalegre forms part of the neighboring CCCB. An ultramodern prismatic screen acts as a mirror reflecting the medieval courtyard, giving visitors a magical juxtaposition of different architectural styles.
7. Plaça Joan Coromines
The contrast between the modern MACBA, the University building, the Tuscan-style CCCB, and the 19th-century mock-Romanesque church make this square one of the city’s most enchanting. It is home to the terrace restaurants of MACBA and CCCB.
8. A Sudden Awakening
One of the only pieces of art on permanent display is Antoni Tàpies’ (1923–2012) deconstructed bed (1992–3), with its bedding flung across the wall in disarray. Its presence to the right of the main entrance underlines Tàpies’ importance in the world of Catalan modern art.
9. Thinking and Reading Spaces
Pleasant and unusual features of MACBA are the white leather sofas between the galleries. Usually next to a shelf of relevant books and a set of headphones, these quiet spaces provide the perfect resting spot to contemplate–and learn more about–the art.
10. Temporary Exhibitions/CCCB
Exhibitions at the CCCB tend to be more theme-based than artist-specific. It hosts the World Press Photo exhibition in spring and numerous literary festivals throughout the year. Home to avant-garde art exhibits, the CCCB is always at the forefront of the latest cultural trends.
