# National Art Museum of Catalonia, Barcelona > The National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) fills the Palau Nacional on Montjuïc, built for the 1929 International Exposition. It holds the world's finest collection of Romanesque frescoes, lifted from the walls of Pyrenean mountain churches, along with Gothic art, El Greco, Velázquez and Catalan modernisme. The terrace in front has one of the best views of the city. Allow 2 to 3 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/mnac - City: [Barcelona](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona), Spain - YesGo score: 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h 30 min - Opening hours: Tue–Sun; closed Monday - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Paid; some free hours - Closed: Monday - Highlights: Romanesque frescoes, Gothic, modernisme, the Oval Hall - Time needed: 2–3 hours - Rooftop: Viewing terrace, separate ticket - Location: Montjuïc, Espanya metro (L1, L3) - Coordinates: 41.36833, 2.15331 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1929** — the palace was built for the Exposition (source: English Wikipedia) - **1934** — an art museum opened inside (source: English Wikipedia) - **1990** — the National Art Museum of Catalonia was formed (source: English Wikipedia) - **Romanesque** — one of the world's finest fresco collections (source: English Wikipedia) ## About MNAC The domed, towered **Palau Nacional** was built on the slope of Montjuïc as the main pavilion of the **1929 International Exposition**. An art museum opened here in **1934**, and in **1990** several collections merged into the **Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya**, or MNAC. The museum spans a thousand years of Catalan art, from medieval frescoes to early 20th-century modernisme, plus European Renaissance and Baroque painting. The building is just as striking: a vast **Oval Hall** beneath the dome, marble staircases and terraces looking over the whole city. ## The Romanesque frescoes The museum's pride is its **Romanesque murals** of the 11th to 13th centuries. In the early 20th century they were carefully removed from the walls of small Pyrenean mountain churches, to save them from decay and from being sold abroad, and brought to Barcelona along with the shape of their apses. The galleries recreate the curved vaults, so you see the frescoes as their painters intended. The most famous is **Christ Pantocrator** from Sant Climent de Taüll: a huge, stern face with wide-open eyes in vivid colour. It's one of the great works of European Romanesque art and worth the visit even if you're short of time. ## What to see at MNAC - **Romanesque frescoes** — mountain church apses and the Taüll Pantocrator. - **Gothic** — altarpieces, painted panels and sculpture. - **Renaissance and Baroque** — El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán. - **Modernisme** — Casas and Rusiñol, Gaudí furniture. - **The Oval Hall** — the vast hall beneath the dome. - **The terrace** — views over the Magic Fountain and city. > **Buying tickets** Tickets are sold on the museum's site and at the desk, and usually last two days, so you can split the museum into two visits. Entry is free at certain times, such as Saturday afternoons. The schedule changes, so check before you go. ## Gothic, Baroque and modernisme The **Gothic** galleries are full of gilded altarpieces and painted panels by 14th and 15th-century Catalan masters. Then come European painters: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán, and Rubens and Titian from the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection. Upstairs is **Catalan modernisme**: paintings by Ramon Casas and Santiago Rusiñol, Gaudí furniture from Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, stained glass and jewellery, with separate rooms for photography and posters. It shows how Barcelona lived in the years when the Sagrada Família and the Palau de la Música were going up. ## How to get to MNAC 1. Metro **Espanya** (L1, L3), then up the avenue and escalators to the palace, 10 to 15 minutes. 2. Bus **150** from Plaça d'Espanya to the museum entrance. 3. From [Montjuïc](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/montjuic), down through the gardens and stairs to the palace. 4. The main entrance is on the upper terrace in front of the palace. ## Tips for your visit If you're short of time, focus on the Romanesque galleries and the Oval Hall, the most unique parts, and come back for the rest the next day on the same ticket. There's a café with a city view and a cloakroom for bags. It pairs well with the evening **Magic Fountain** show: when the galleries close, step out onto the terrace for sunset over Barcelona, then walk down to the fountain. The steps in front of the palace are one of the city's best free viewpoints. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check opening hours and free times - [ ] Find the Taüll Pantocrator - [ ] See the Oval Hall - [ ] Step out onto the view terrace - [ ] Stay for the fountain show ## Places in Barcelona: compare and choose Places in Barcelona rated by YesGo. - [Camp Nou](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/camp-nou) — YesGo score 63/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 45 min · Paid - [Casa Batlló](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/casa-batllo) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · Paid - [Barcelona Pavilion](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/barcelona-pavilion) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Paid - [Casa Vicens](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/casa-vicens) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Casa Milà](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/casa-mila) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid - [Picasso Museum](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/picasso-museum) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Paid - [National Art Museum of Catalonia](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/mnac) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid - [Dalí Theatre-Museum](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/dali-theatre-museum) — YesGo score 27/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid ## Montjuïc in half a day The Palau Nacional, the Barcelona Pavilion and the hill. 1. [Montjuïc](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/montjuic) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free 2. [National Art Museum of Catalonia](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/mnac) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid 3. [Barcelona Pavilion](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/barcelona-pavilion) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Paid ## Don't mix it up MNAC and MACBA are different museums. MACBA is the contemporary art museum in the Raval; MNAC covers older and modern Catalan art on Montjuïc. ## Tips - Closed on Mondays. - Tickets last two days. - Don't miss the Romanesque frescoes. - Evening: the terrace and fountain. ## Questions ### What is there to see at MNAC? Romanesque frescoes from Pyrenean churches, Gothic altarpieces, El Greco and Velázquez, Catalan modernisme and the Oval Hall. ### How long do you need at MNAC? 2 to 3 hours; the ticket usually lasts two days. ### When is MNAC free? At certain times, such as Saturday afternoons; check the museum's site. ### How do I get to MNAC? Metro to Espanya, then up the avenue and escalators to the Palau Nacional. ### What day is MNAC closed? Monday. ### Where is the best view near the museum? From the steps and terrace in front of the Palau Nacional. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Hours, prices and free times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - Official site, museunacional.cat --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.