Barcelona Family Vacations Include Fishes, Chocolate, and a Little Magic. Barcelona family vacations include a daily kaleidoscope of creativity inspired by the spirit of Picasso, Gaudi, and Miró from museums and theatre to tasty tapas and artful chocolates, the city beckons to be shared with your kids if they are eight or 28.

Here’s the scoop. Barcelona is a living museum with art and architecture defining almost every street, park and boulevard. Residents and visitors create an ever changing composition sustaining the timeless beauty of the city. I have assembled a short list of not-to-be-missed museums some awesome and others slightly quirky.
 
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) – Best collection of Romanesque art.  Located within Parc de Montjuïc, this museum houses more than 1000 years of Catalan art from the 10th century to modern time plus it showcases one of the most extensive medieval art collections in the world. There are exceptional examples of Spain’s art from nouveau to modernism plus the sculptural avant-garde. Here's the deal. Free admission is offered the first Sunday of the month. (Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc, Barcelona. Tel: 93 622 03 76 or www.mnac.cat)
 
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) – A crossroads of contempory art and culture.  Located within the heart of El Raval, the MACBA showcases major pieces created within the last five decades plus an ever changing selection of guest artists from around the world. The building itself is worth a view. The Museum offers night viewing hours on Thursday and Friday and tours in English at select times during the week. (Sq. dels Àngels, Barcelona. Tel: 93 412 08 10 or www.macba.cat)

L'Aquàrium de Barcelona - Barcelona Aquarium. This is one of the best aquariums in Europe. Located not far from the marina, the aquarium’s glass edifice showcases marine life and the habitats indigenous to the Mediterranean and the tropics. Moving walkways send visitors along glass tunnels through viewing tanks with countless species of fish in their habitats. A large hall with an interactive island is dedicated to activities for children. Here’s the deal: For a savings on tickets, download a discount coupon from the website and show it at the ticket office. (Moll d’Espanya, Barcelona. Tel: 93 221 74 74 or www.aquariumbcn.com)

Museu de la Màgia – The Museum of Magic. On the lighter side of Barcelona, this collector's gallery of 19th- and 20th-century magic tricks will enchant any budding magicians. The anchor is the magic shop El Rei de la Màgia. This is the place to see live sleight of hand demonstrations as well as magic shows; places are limited. The shows are not in English but magic needs little translation.  (Carrer Oli 6, Barcelona. Tel: 93 319 73 20 or www.elreydelamagia.com)

Museu de la Xocolata – Museum of Chocolate. When you need a sweet and sensory break from museum overload this is the place. The aroma of chocolate inundates the place, and visitors receive a piece of chocolate at the entrance. Nice!  The rest is obvious. The museum showcases the history of chocolate through clever displays. Here’s the deal. Free admission is offered for children six years of age or yonger and free admission with the Barcelona Card. (Comerç, 36, Barcelona. Tel: 93 268 78 78 or www.MuseuXocolata.cat)

Location on the planet. Barcelona is located in the province of Catalonia on Spain’s Mediterranean (northeastern) coast less than two hundred kilometres from the French border.

Content researched and posted by Nancy Nelson-Duac, Curator of the Good Stuff for the Family Travel Files. Images by Amanda Nelson-Duac. This information was accurate at time of posting. Because things often change, we suggest that you confirm details directly with the locations before making plans. Copyright updated 2017.