The Most Unusual Museums In Barcelona

Anyone who knows just how popular Barcelona’s football club – FC Barcelona – are in the city and in the world will not be surprised that they have their very own museum right at the heart of the club’s home: the Camp Nou stadium. First inaugurated in 1984, the museum has been refurbished throughout the years to keep up to date with the club’s ongoing success. The museum attracts over 1.2 million visitors a year, making it the second most popular museum in the city. Browse through old photos of the players or admire some of their most impressive trophies as part of the popular ‘Camp Nou Experience’. FC Barcelona Museum, C. Aristides Maillol, Barcelona

Not one for those of a sensitive disposition, Barcelona’s Erotic Museum pays homage to the wonders of human sexuality, across the times and throughout civilisations. Located on the famous La Rambla boulevard, the museum is divided into different areas dedicated to diverse aspects of human sexual history: from its appearance in Ancient Rome to the pin-up culture of the 1950s or the often taboo world of fetishism. There are hundreds of items on display, both old and new, as well as original artwork by local artists and replicas of sexually-themed artwork by famous artists. The entrance of the Erotic Museum in Barcelona | © Michael M / Flickr

Calling all chocoholics, this is the one place you won’t want to miss in Barcelona! Located inside a former monastery, the Chocolate Museum pays homage to this most delightful of ingredients in all its forms. Looking at the history of chocolate in Europe, from its introduction in the 15th Century to modern advances by chocolatiers, the museum is both educational and fun. For the full experience, book yourself onto a workshop and learn how to make your own specialities, from chocolate truffles to lollipops.

The consumption of cannabis in private places being legal in Spain, the country has something of a reputation as a ‘smoker’s paradise’ and there are over 200 private cannabis clubs in Barcelona alone. The Hash, Marijuana and Hemp Museum pays homage to the cannabis sativae family, not just the psychoactive marijuana plant, but also its close cousin, the hemp plant which has been used since the Vikings to build resistant materials such as sails and cloth. The museum contains hundreds of items relating to both the production and consumption of the plants, as well as a sizeable collection of artwork.

A turning point in the history of the city, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics catapulted the city into the international limelight and prompted it to become the global travel destination it is today. The legacy of this momentous event is remembered in the Joan Antoni Samaranch Olympic and Sports Museum located across from the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium on Montjuïc hill. Designed as a centre for the promotion and advancement of sports and sporting technology, it also hosts a number of high-profile sporting events and contains an interactive multimedia area.