Barcelona's museums and art centres are currently hosting a diverse array of new exhibitions, featuring everything from internationally acclaimed artists to immersive historical displays.
At the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB), a new exhibition on Catalan writer Mercè Rodoreda presents her work as radical, fantastical, and deeply contemporary. Designed as an organic forest, the display includes over 400 pieces that explore themes from the pain of exile to her metaphysical obsessions. It also features exclusive works by contemporary artists Mar Arza and Oriol Vilapuig, created specifically for this show.
Meanwhile, the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) is presenting an exhibition curated by Elvira Dyangani Ose, described as an explosion of colour, music, and activism. This show imagines a future where African peoples and their diasporas collaborate, highlighting the history of working-class Barcelona and the previously overlooked presence of Black activists. A notable installation at the entrance features flags, serving as a 'welcome to Pan-Africa'.
Immersive History and Street Art
IDEAL Barcelona has opened a temporary new venue at the Palau Victòria Eugènia with an exhibition that combines original archaeological pieces with immersive virtual reality technology. This display details the daily life and customs of the Roman city of Pompeii before the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD buried it under volcanic ash.
A free exhibition examines the final ten years of Franco's dictatorship, showing social and political projects that society hoped would be implemented after the dictator's death. The exhibition includes 185 documents, such as photographs, publication covers, legal extracts, and manifestos, alongside 15 audiovisual fragments, including pieces from NO-DO newsreels, archive footage, and videos from the American programme Saturday Night Live.
The Banksy Museum in Barcelona collects over 130 works by the street artist, creating an urban setting that transports visitors through different cities and eras. This allows for a close look at both iconic and lesser-known pieces by the anonymous artist.
Design, Archaeology, and Optical Illusions
CaixaForum Barcelona is showing an exhibition that recovers dozens of home movies, offering a different perspective on the evolution of audiovisual language. It explores how non-professional, intimate filmmaking and new technologies have influenced how everyday life is portrayed and our relationship with cameras.
The Design Hub Barcelona (DHub) addresses the question of future living with its new permanent exhibition. This display traces a path from colonial extractivism to modern solutions, such as furniture made from fungi, algae fabrics, and extreme recycling. With over 700 pieces, the exhibition demonstrates that design is not just about aesthetics but also about sustainable creation.
The Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya offers a contemporary view of the Roman Empire through a permanent exhibition. It explores life stories, uses video mapping, and displays over 200 archaeological objects, connecting the ancient past with contemporary society.
Finally, the Paradox Museum features more than 70 interactive exhibits that play with perception and optical illusions. It provides an engaging space for learning and entertainment, with scenarios designed for curious photographs.
These exhibitions offer a wide range of cultural experiences across Barcelona, with many expected to run for several months, providing ongoing opportunities for residents and tourists to engage with art, history, and design.
