Tag Archives: picasso

Best Art Museums & Architecture for a Weekend in Barcelona

By Megan Kudla

Barcelona is a haven for art, especially being home to some of Antoni Gaudí’s most famous architectural wonders. The city also has world-class museums, with works that date back from the medieval times to more contemporary eras. If you’ve only got one weekend in Barcelona, but want to see as much art as possible, here’s a guide to the some of the best art museums and architecture tours.

Tip: If you’re extending your trip, you can purchase the ArticketBCN pass, which gets you entry into 6 of the top art museums across the city for a flat fee of 38€. (Plus, it comes in the form of a little red passport that gets stamped along the way. How cute is that?)

Sagrada Familia
The pinnacle piece of architecture in Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia, should be first on your list. It’s also the most popular attraction in the area—when you are booking your flight and your hotel, go ahead and book this, too. Tickets range from 26€ to 40€. Marvel at the intricate sculptures adorning the outside and the mesmerizing colors that dance below the stained glass on the inside of this architectural monster, which is still under construction to this day.

Tip: The beginning and end of the self-guided tour are located on the outside of the Sagrada Familia, where you can admire the intricacies of Gaudí’s designs that display the Nativity Façade and the Passion Façade. This means that you should bring a jacket if you’re visiting during the fall or winter months.

Gaudí’s designs at the Sagrada Familia feature intricate sculptures.

Park Güell
The second most popular Gaudí architectural site is probably Park Güell, a maze of green
spaces, viaducts, terraces, colorful mosaics, and more. Tickets are 18€ starting in 2025, and
you’ll also want to buy these ahead of your trip. As soon as you enter the park, you can
download an app with a helpful map that will direct you to the different parts of the park to
enjoy at your own leisure.

Tip: The Gaudí House Museum, where he lived from 1906 to 1925, is a separate ticket you can add on to your park entrance fee.

The beautiful Park Güell offers much to explore.

Casa Batlló
The final Gaudí tour to book in Barcelona would be Casa Batlló. Gaudí was commissioned by D. Josep Batlló in the early 1900s to redesign this building that would have been otherwise demolished. His inspiration pulled heavily from water, paying heed to organic shapes in the structure, as well as how natural light played with color upon ascending the multiple levels. Budget around 30€ for a general ticket.

Tip: Book an early time slot; the rooms are small, with lots of visitors clamoring to see this one-of-a-kind house. Then, if you find yourself particularly interested in the Gaudí style, put Casa Milá and Casa Vicens on your list.

Gaudí’s redesign of the Casa Batlló building is water-inspired.

Palau de la Música
The shorter, slightly cheaper tour of the Palau de la Música was worth the time and money. Tickets are 22€, or only 16€ if you are over 65 or under 35 years old. The guided tour pairs you with an expert who will take you through the beautiful Lluís Millet Room and balcony, the busy foyer (which doubles as a restaurant-cafeteria), and, of course, the colorful and breathtaking Concert Hall.

Tip: The concert schedule is filled with opera, flamenco, coral, symphonic acts, and more. Plan a tour in the afternoon, then buy tickets to see the venue live and in action in the evening.

Palau de la Música’s Concert Hall is an exquisite venue for musical events.

Museu Picasso
Part of the ArticketBCN, Museu Picasso was one of my favorite art museums. Not only does it house around 5,000 of Picasso’s works, but it’s a great showcase of the wide range of his
artistic talents. The cubism that Picasso is known for is not the only style he’s mastered. When visiting, you’ll get to see work from all periods of his life, from the classical work when he began studying art, to his Blue Period, and even ceramics.

Tip: It’s right next door to the Modern Contemporary (Moco) Museum and across the small
street from the Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món. Why not make it a full day, with a stop at the corner Brunells pastry shop in between?

Museu Picasso features more than 5,000 of Picasso’s works.

Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is as much an architectural site as it is an art museum. Located in the Parc de Montjuïc, you won’t miss the towering Palau Nacional on top of a huge hill. Take the many steps (or public escalators!) to the top, and hours of browsing artwork is at your fingertips. A top highlight is the collection of Romanesque art with murals that date back to the 11th to 13th centuries.

Tip: This is also a great stop for an aerial view of the city and mountains. If you’ve been looking for a photo opp, here it is!

Artwork and photo opps abound at Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.

You can make a whole weekend surrounding just the art and architecture of Barcelona.
Between galleries, house tours, and live performances, you’ve got a city that’s filled with
centuries of artistic feats that now make this European city one of the most sought-after tourist destinations. Plan ahead, but don’t overbook each day—you’ll want time to savor each special site.

Love Picasso? Europe Is Where to Be in 2023

By Abbey Algiers

Breaking news! 2023 is the year of a man named Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Martyr Patricio Clito Ruíz y Picasso? Confused? 

Let’s try it again.

2023 has been officially declared “The Year of Picasso” in honor of the 50th anniversary of the artist we know as Pablo Picasso.

Born in Malaga, Spain, on October 25, 1881, Pablo Picasso is best known for his contributions to modern art in the 20th century. Chances are, when you think of Picasso, cubism comes to mind. But the depth of Picasso’s work is far and wide—so wide, in fact, that it’s only fitting that a year is dedicated to showcasing this great master’s contributions to art and our world. That’s why Spain and France have teamed up to arrange exhibitions in Spain, France, and worldwide in order to celebrate Picasso and commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death (April 8, 1973). This is great news for Picasso lovers with plans to travel to Spain or France in 2023—there are plenty of opportunities to see his works. 

2023 Picasso Exhibitions Worldwide

To pay tribute to Picasso, Spain and France have joined forces to arrange more than 40 Picasso exhibitions in both countries—16 in Spain, with the other exhibitions in France and various cities throughout Europe and North America, offering plenty of opportunities around the globe to enjoy the masterpieces of Picasso.  

A list of worldwide Picasso Exhibitions in 2023 can be found at the Official Celebration of Picasso site.

A few upcoming exhibitions in Madrid include: 

Exhibitions and Education: The Year of Picasso Offers Something for Everyone

The Year of Picasso will go beyond exhibitions – in addition to showcasing Picasso’s works, the commemorative year will offer educational opportunities to showcase Picasso’s influence and relevance throughout the ages.  Those interested in deepening their knowledge of Picasso’s life and legacy can attend conferences and special events at museums and other venues in Madrid, Paris, Barcelona, Malaga, and other cities throughout Europe and North America.

A Celebration That’s Been Long in the Works

The 2023 Year of Picasso is a celebration that’s been a year and a half in the making. From the first event, “Picasso – El Greco” at the Kunst Museo Basel in Basel, Switzerland, to Madrid’s Picasso premiere, presented by Madrid’s Fundación MAPFRE this September, “Julio González, Pablo Picasso and the Dematerialization of Sculpture” to the last event ending in April 2024 at Paris’ Petit Palais, there are many opportunities to remember and appreciate the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.

A list of all events related to the “Year of Picasso” can be found here. Many of the exhibitions are being orchestrated through the Picasso Museum in Paris.  

Picasso Around the World… Beyond 2023

If you miss one of the 2023 exhibitions, there are plenty of opportunities to appreciate the work of Picasso at Picasso Museums throughout Europe:

Picasso Museum in Paris, France
Picasso Museum in Barcelona, Spain
Picasso Museum in Antibes, France
Picasso Museum in Malaga, Spain
Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain
Rosengart Collection in Lucerne, Switzerland
Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Germany
National Picasso Museum in Vallauris, France

Picasso – Such a Master That a Year Wasn’t Long Enough for His Tribute

While 2023 marks the official Year of Picasso, Spain actually started the celebration in 2022, when Fundación MAPFRE in Madrid kicked off the celebration on September 23 with the exhibition “Julio González, Pablo Picasso and the Dematerialization of Sculpture” at the Fundación MAPFRE Recoletos Exhibition Hall. The exhibition was organized by Fundación MAPFRE with the collaboration of the Musée National Picasso-Paris, the Spanish National Commission for the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Death of Spanish Artist Pablo Picasso, and the González Administration. The exhibition highlighted the collaboration between Pablo Picasso and another Spanish artist, sculptor Julio González, and how they essentially began the iron sculpture movement, thus greatly influencing the artistic creation of the 1920s and early 1930s.   

Fundación MAPFRE’s Rocio Herrero, Assistant Director of Education and Audience, explained the importance of this collaboration between Picasso and Gonzalez. “Both artists were colleagues and friends who admired each other’s works. When they worked together, they were able to develop and mature even more as artists. Thanks to Gonzalez, Picasso learned the welding technique he would use in new iron sculptures. And, thanks to Picasso, González trusted in his own skills, and he made his most important sculptures. Both men came out ahead through their collaboration.” 

Pablo Picasso. Woman in the Garden, París, 1930. Soldered iron painted white, 206 × 117 × 85 cm. Musée National Picasso-Paris. Pablo Picasso Gift in Lieu, 1979. MP267, © Sucesión Pablo Picasso. VEGAP, Madrid, 2022. Foto © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Adrien Didierjean / Mathieu Rabeau


Inspiration Through Art

As Picasso said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Perhaps through the gifts of Picasso’s work, we can all find the inspiration to go out into the world and share our own.