Spain does not only offer destinations for every personality, superb gastronomy, and a vibrant nightlife, but also a wide array of museums and cultural establishments to satiate all art lovers. Thanks to its rich history and the cultural mix throughout the decades, Spain owns one of the most complete artistic and cultural patrimonies, and thus offers no shortage of historical and contemporary art pieces, archeology and natural sciences. With some of the great artists of all-time calling Spain their home, the collections are a marvel and offer paintings of artists such as Goya, Picasso, Dalí, Velázquez and Miró.  According to the Spain’s Ministry of Culture and Sport, there are more than 1,600 registered museum institutions around the country, making it a feat in itself to visit all, but we’ve put together a list of 12 museums (in no particular order) that are essential and a must in anyone’s list.

 

Guggenheim de Bilbao

Designed by Canadian architect Frank O. Gehry, the building itself is an art piece. Its wavy plates made of titanium, glass and limestone hailed it the most important building of its time (it opened in 1997). In its surroundings you can appreciate iconic sculptures and its unique façade swathes one of the best contemporary art collections.

 

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Part of the Golden Triangle of Art (along with El Prado and the Museo Reina Sofia), it is not just one of the most important museums in Spain but in all of the world, with a collection that includes pieces by the likes of Velázquez, Tiziano, Botticelli, El Greco, Goya (it houses the largest collection of his paintings in the world),  and many, many others.

 

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

Located in the ancient Palacio del duque de Villahermosa and named after its founder, Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, the museum houses one of the most important collections of Western painting in the world (made up of almost 1,000 paintings) and is shown in tandem with temporary exhibitions. The collection spans from the 13th century up to the 20th century, and includes pieces from artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Degás, Mondrian, O’Keeffe and Kandinsky.

 

Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid

Situated in the previous site of the Hospital de San Carlos de Madrid, the museum is dedicated to modern and contemporary art and houses a collection of more than 6,050 pieces, including paintings by Dalí, Gris, Diego Rivera, Magritte and its most popular piece, Picasso’s renowned Guernica.

 

Teatro-Museo Dali, Figueres

Located in the old Municipal Theater in Figueres, it is considered the last great piece of Salvador Dalí. When the artist was asked by the mayor of Figueres to donate a piece of art for el Museu de l'Empordà, he decided to donate an entire museum to his hometown. The façade itself is one of the artist’s creations and within, you can find some of Dalí’s most important paintings, as well as sculptures and personal objects that belonged to the artist, which will take you through a journey of his life and artistic trajectory.

 

Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid

The museum is a public institution which aim is to divulge the culture and origin of the different regions of the country. It is located in a building from the XIX century and exhibits throughout its 40 rooms more than a million different objects and archeological remains from the different peoples of Spain and the Mediterranean area (from antique to more recent times). It will take you through a rigorous and interesting journey through history to understand the current reality.

 

Museo Picasso, Málaga

Back in 1953, Picasso mentioned the idea to create a space in his birth city of Málaga to showcase his works. This plan was resumed in 1997 by Christine Ruiz-Picasso who worked with the Regional Government of Andalusia which acquired and turned the Buenavista Palace (then leased to house the Provincial Fine Arts Museum) into the Museo Picasso. The core of the permanent collection was the original donation of 233 works by Christine and Bernard (the artist’s grandson). It houses one of the most amazing collections of the artist and will take you through a journey of each of the artist’s most representative stages throughout his more than 80 years of work.

 

MACBA, Barcelona

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) showcases the most important works of the second half of the XX century with a focus on Catalan production. It aims to wake up interest and pleasure for contemporary art and culture by connecting diverse artistic expressions, from arts and film to poetry and music. The building was designed by north American architect Richard Meier and is a reinterpretation of rationalism.

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