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Discover Catalonia’s rich Romanesque and Gothic heritage at this impressive museum, housed in the 1929 Palau Nacional. Striking medieval frescoes – many culled from ancient Pyrenean churches – are the highlight. See Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.

The airy, high-ceilinged galleries of this splendid museum are a fitting resting place for the bold, abstract works of Joan Miró, one of Catalonia’s most acclaimed 20th-century artists. See Fundació Joan Miró.

Witness the budding – and meteoric rise – of Picasso’s artistic genius at this unique museum. One of the world’s largest collections of the painter’s early works. See Museu Picasso.

Inaugurated in 1995, MACBA is Barcelona’s centre for modern art. Combined with the neighbouring CCCB, the two buildings form an artistic and cultural hub in the heart of El Raval. Both regularly host temporary exhibitions: the MACBA showcases contemporary artists; the CCCB is more theme-based. See Museu d’Art Contemporani & Centre de Cultura Contemporània.

Works by Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies are showcased in this graceful Modernista building. Venture inside to discover Tàpies’ rich repertoire, from early collage works to large, abstract paintings, many alluding to political and social themes. See Fundació Tàpies.

Explore the medieval Palau Reial and wander among the splendid remains of Barcelona’s Roman walls and waterways at the city’s history museum. The museum is partly housed in the 15th-century Casa Padellàs on the impressive medieval Plaça del Rei. See Conjunt Monumental de la Plaça del Rei.

This shrine to the city’s football club draws a mind-boggling number of fans paying homage to their team. Trophies, posters and other memorabilia celebrate the club’s 100-year history. Also visit the adjacent Camp Nou Stadium. (Museu del FC Barcelona & Camp Nou Stadium).

Barcelona’s formidable sea-faring history is showcased in the cavernous, 13th-century Drassanes Reials (Royal Shipyards). The collection, which spans from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, includes a full-scale replica of the Real , the flagship galley of Don Juan of Austria, who led the Christians to victory against the Turks during the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Also on display are model ships, maps and navigational instruments.Museu Marítim.

Catalan sculptor Frederic Marès (1893–1991) was a passionate and eclectic collector. Housed here, under one roof, are many remarkable finds amassed during his travels. Among the vast array of historical objects on display are Romanesque and Gothic religious art and sculptures, plus everything from dolls and fans to pipes and walking sticks. See Museu Frederic Marès.

Exhibits covering the whole history of science, from the Big Bang to the computer age, are housed in this museum, one of the most modern in Europe. Highlights include an interactive tour of the geological history of our planet, an area of real Amazonian rain forest, and a planetarium.