Museum of Forbidden Art (Museu de l'Art Prohibit)

The basics

Set in a dazzling building in the heart of Barcelona, the museum displays a selection of well-chosen pieces from its array of more than 200 works at any given time. Most travelers spend around an hour navigating the collection with the museum’s downloadable app (available in Catalan, Spanish, and English), which provides context on the artworks and the controversies around them. Representing a range of media, the art is guaranteed to provoke discussion, as are the lectures and performances.

Things to know before you go

• The Museum of Forbidden Art is a great choice for anyone with an interest in contemporary art or freedom of speech.

• The collection includes sexually explicit works, graphic violence, and blasphemy: It’s not a good choice for families with kids younger than 13 or people with strong traditional Christian beliefs.

• If you buy your tickets online, with timed entry, you’ll receive a small discount.

• The Museum of Forbidden Art is accessible to visitors with disabilities. The building has elevators, ramps, and wheelchair-friendly bathrooms, as well as wheelchairs and folding seats available for loan. Accessible tours are also available.

How to get there

The Museum of Forbidden Art is in the heart of Barcelona, about a 5-minute walk northwest of Catalunya Square (Plaça de Catalunya). A few different metro stops are nearby: Passeig de Gràcia (L2, L3, and L4), Universitat (L1 and L2), and Catalunya (L1 and L3).

When to get there

The museum is open Wednesday–Monday from morning to evening. It’s closed on Tuesdays, excluding public holidays, as well as on December 25 and January 1. The least crowded time to visit is on a weekday morning.

Edgy Museums in Barcelona

If you’re looking to expand your horizons of the forbidden, Barcelona is a great place to do it. The Erotic Museum of Barcelona (Museu de l'Erotica) charts the history of human sexuality in all its splendiferous variety; meanwhile, the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum, an offshoot of the Amsterdam original, takes a deep dive into all things cannabis-related.