Picasso Museum

A wonderful collection traces Picasso’s creative genius from his roots in Barcelona.

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Portrait of the artist as a young man

The Picasso Museum boasts an incredible 4,000 works by Spain’s most beloved and prolific artist. The Museum, which was opened ten years before his death in 1963, focuses on Picasso’s relationship with Barcelona, particularly in his formative years.


The extensive collection is housed in five palaces on the medieval street Carrer Montcada, and comprises not only his paintings, drawings and sculptures, but also photographs and records of the young Picasso. The buildings have been remodelled since the Middle Ages, and the beautiful Catalan Gothic structures we see today date from the 18th century. 


The father of modern art

Born in Málaga in 1881, the son of a painter and art professor, Picasso showed an exceptional aptitude for art at a very young age. He began his formal training with his father at the age of seven. After the death of his younger sister the family moved to Barcelona in 1895, and here Picasso found a haven; although he went on to move regularly throughout his life, he came to regard the city as his true home. At just 13 he managed to gain entry to the advanced class in the Llotja School of Fine Arts, and began to form his inimitable personal style.


Later in life, Picasso himself expressed the wish for a museum of his works to be built in Barcelona and in 1960 plans were set in motion. The museum was originally called the Sabartés Collection: Picasso was vocally opposed to the regime of Francisco Franco, then dictator of Spain, so his name could not appear on a national monument. Sabartés was a fellow painter and poet from Barcelona, and a close personal friend of Picasso. The original museum consisted of Sabartés’ own collection of Picasso’s work as well as a few donations of illustrated prints and drawings. 


Having grown exponentially over the years through donations and acquisitions, the present collection is a comprehensive showcase: visitors can follow the development of Picasso’s art from the stunning 1896 Portrait of Aunt Pepa, painted when the artist was only 14, through the world-changing innovations of Cubism and his Rose, African and Blue Periods. Though some of his most famous mature works, such as Guernica and Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, are held elsewhere, the Picasso Museum is an unmissable insight into one of the story of a modern master. 

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Barcelona
El Born
A trendy neighbourhood with interesting bars, restaurants and stylish boutiques.
Barcelona Cathedral
A magnificent Gothic cathedral in the old centre of Barcelona, and the seat of the Archbishop of Spain.
Placa del Rei
Meaning 'Kings Square' this 14th century medieval public square is in the Barri Gòtic of Barcelona.
Church of Santa Maria del Mar
Built in Catalonian Gothic style, this Basilica has been through a lot.
Fossar de les Moreres
Memorial to the defenders of Barcelona who died in the siege of 1714
Spanish pinchos
A small snack, typically eaten in bars, made of a slice of bread and various toppings above.

Related Tours

Picasso & Joan Miró in Barcelona: Private Half-Day Art Tour

Experience a fabulous private art tour to the Joan Miró Foundation and the Picasso Museum, followed by a scenic drive to and from the Miró Foundation which offers stunning panoramic views of Barcelona, and a short walking tour of the trendy El Born neighbourhood.

On this private art tour, you will: 

  • Enjoy a scenic drive to Montjuïc in a private vehicle which offers beautiful views of Barcelona;
  • Snap amazing photos from the top of Montjuïc from the viewing point "Mirador de l'Alcalde";
  • Admire the work of Barcelona-born surrealist artist Joan Miró on a guided tour of the Foundation dedicated to him;
  • Discover the iconic "Els 4Gats", the bar where Pablo Picasso drank with the Bohemian set of Barcelona and hosted his first exhibition!;
  • Walk towards "Plaza Nova" to see the only publicly displayed work made by Picasso at the "Architects Association Building";
  • Wander through the beautiful El Born neighbourhood filled with medieval streets;
  • Explore the Picasso Museum with your private guide and see some of his most famous and beloved pieces;
  • End the tour inside the Museum to continue exploring at your own pace.


For lovers of twentieth-century modern art from Surrealism and Dadaism to Cubism and Expressionism, this is your perfect private tour, with tickets to the Joan Miro Foundation and Picasso Museum in Barcelona. Your tour also includes a scenic drive to and from the Miro Foundation, as well as a short walking tour through the medieval, and very trendy El Born district. 

Joan Miro was a famous Catalan artist, born to a watchmaker-father and goldsmith-mother in the stunning seaport city of Barcelona in 1893. He died in Palma on Christmas day 1983. He was a sculptor, painter and ceramicist who went on to become one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century with his eccentric, fantastical style. 

Miro’s work was diverse and spanned Surrealism, Dadaism and Expressionism, Cubism and latterly Symbolism among other genres. He drew inspiration from the latter-Impressionists like Gauguin and Van Gogh, surrealist poetry and even Freudian psychoanalysis. He met and worked with several leading artists when he moved to Paris – including Max Ernst and Wassily Kandinsky. Today Miro’s works sell for between 5 and 25 million dollars. 

After a private tour of the Miro Foundation, enjoy a comfortable break and the fabulous panoramic views before driving back to central Barcelona to explore the life of Pablo Picasso. 

Picasso was born on 25 October 1881 in Malaga Southern Spain – and went on to become arguably the most iconic artist of the 20th Century. He died on 8th April 1973 in France – where he spent the majority of his adult life. Famous for his friendship with Gertrude Stein, his first patroness in Paris, Picasso became a hugely prolific artist, ceramicist, theatre designer and sculptor. 

He was a founder of the Cubist movement and one of the defining artists of the 20th Century. His work sells for between 120,000 and 140 million!

The son of an artist, Picasso spent his childhood moving around Spain – but would perhaps feel most at home in Barcelona. After two years of studying fine art in Madrid, observing the masters like El Greco, he returned to Barcelona in 1899 and began to frequent The Four Cats Café / Els Quatre Gats. It was here that he met, ate, and drank with other artists and became a leading light in Barcelona’s Bohemian set. 

You’ll be dropped off at the iconic 4 Cats Café, so be sure to take photos outside, before wandering through the wonderful El Born neighbourhood – historic, beautiful, and today very fashionable. Here you’ll see some rare public works by Picasso, then head into the Picasso Museum for a privately guided tour. 

Your tour finishes inside the museum for you to enjoy at your leisure. 

Explore El Born District: Private Half-Day Walking Tour

Experience the best of medieval and modern culture in El Born, Barcelona's trendiest and most beautiful neighbourhood on this private walking tour, including tickets for the guided tour of the Palau de la Música, an icon of modernism.

On your private half-day tour. you will: 

  • Discover the highlights of the fashionable and historic district of El Born;
  • Walk through quaint streets like Carrer de L’Argenteria and Carrer Barra de Ferro and pause outside the Picasso Museum;
  • See the stunning 10th Century Gothic Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar (St Mary of the Sea);
  • Stroll along with the Passeig del Born into the heart of the area, and one of the best places for artisanal, designer and boutique shopping;
  • Stop by the designer studios and small workshops along the charming backstreets such as Carrer del Flassaders;
  • Admire Parc de la Ciutadella (the Catalan Parliament) and see the Arc de Triomf;
  • See the El Born Centre de Cultura I Memòria an archaeological museum housed inside a former 19th-century market, and learn all about the history and evolution of this fabulous neighbourhood;
  • Walk by the Convent Sant Agusti and on days it is open enjoy a fantastic stroll through the ever-vibrant Santa Caterina food market;
  • End your tour with a 50' guided visit to the "Palau de la Música Catalana".


El Born, while home to some of the oldest medieval buildings in Barcelona, has become one of the city’s most lively, trendy and popular neighbourhoods. Originally inhabited by fishermen and dockworkers, it was absorbed into the city walls in the 15th century and gradually became desirable to the aristocracy and merchant classes. 

Today, it is a bohemian, artsy, cultural paradise –famous for its great tapas and fashionable bistros, museums, gothic architecture, food markets and music halls! A place where history and modernity blend effortlessly. 

Your private walking tour will take in all the highlights of the art, architecture and vibrant culture of El Born and culminate at the Palau de la Música Catalana. This opera house is one of Barcelona’s most impressive Modernist masterpieces, designed by Catalan architect Lluis Domenech I Montaner. This is where you say goodbye to your guide, who will have arranged your tickets for a guided tour inside the iconic concert hall.

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