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Picasso museum. Photo by Twyxx-

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Picasso Museum, Barcelona

Picasso museum is an art museum in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The museum is housed in five adjoining medieval palaces on Montcada Street in the La Ribera neighbourhood in the Old Coty of Barcel

Since its establishment, the museum has been announced a museum of national interest by the Government of Catalonia. The collection highlights include two of his first major works, The First Communion (1896) and Science and Charity (1897).

1. The Museum has an Interesting History

The original idea of opening the museum came from Picasso’s lifelong friend and secretary, Jaume Sabartes, who Picasso had given many paintings, drawings and prints since when they met in 1899.

Sabartes intended to found the museum in Malaga, Picasso’s birthplace, but Picasso suggested that Barcelona would be an ideal place given his long-standing connection with the city. 

Sabartes signed an agreement with the city of Barcelona to found the museum on July 27, 1960.

2. Picasso Museum Was Opened in 1963

Picasso museum. Photo by Twyxx-

The museum was officially opened on March 9, 1963, with the museum collection established through Sabarte’s donation of 574 works from his personal collection, works Picasso had given to the city of Barcelona, collectors, Picasso friends and possession of the city’s museum of modern art.

At first, the museum opened under the name of the Sabartes collection because of Picasso’s strong opposition to Franco’s regime. Unfortunately, Barcelona mayor Joseph Porcioles went against the central government’s wishes to open the museum.

When the museum finally opened, it was located in Palau Aguilar on Montcada Street. As years went by years, the collection was expanded with donations, including seven drawings dated between 1899 and 1904 given by Junyer Sebastian Vidal.

3. Picasso Museum was the First Museum Dedicated to Pablo Picasso’s Works

Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist, and his artwork is extensively housed in Picasso Museum with over 4251 works. It was the first museum dedicated to Picasso’s work and the only one created during his lifetime.

4. Picasso Museum follows Gothic Civil Catalan Style

The museum occupies five large houses or palaces of the Carrer de Montcada Barcelona dating from the 13th century and 14th century, occupying a total area of 10 628 square meters.

Picasso museum building follows the Gothic Civil Catalan style; each of the five buildings is built following a similar pattern, around a courtyard equipped with an exterior staircase that allows access to the main floors.

5. Picasso Museum has Undergone Expansion

In December 1970, the museum underwent its first expansion, adding the Palau del Baro de Castellet, which is attached to the original museum building, Palau Aguilar.

In the late 1990s, the museum was expanded again with the acquisition of Casa Mauri and Palau widows on the same street and adjacent to the museum. This extension added 3,400 square meters serving as space for temporary exhibition, additional service and auditorium.

The museum interior was remodelled in 2013 and the artwork was rearranged. Recently the museum has built a new building in Sabartes square behind Montcada Street. This expansion helped reduce the overcrowding at the entry of the museum.

The new building was designed by architect Jordi Garces who had completed the previous expansion of the museum.

6. The Museum is Housed in Five Adjoining Medieval Palaces

Interior walk through the 5 buildings of Museu Picasso. Photo by Kippelboy-

The five palaces are built in the Gothic Civil Catalan style, and the palaces date back to the 13th century, except for one from Roman times. The places include; Palau Aguilar, Palau Baro de Castellet, Palau Meca, Paula Mauri and Palau Finestres.

7. The Museum has a Knowledge and Research Center

The Knowledge and Research Center is a new building in Plaza Sabartes that architect Jordi Garces designed. The site aims to become an international place in the study of Picasso and his artistic and social context.

The space would be used for discussion, dialogue and debate rather than as a place of consumption. The 1500 square meter building was designed with a transparent façade protected by a cantilever.

The center houses an educational center on the ground floor with 4 multi-purposes to provide educational services for the museum. The first floor has a library. Documentation center and archives of the museum and basement for visitors.

The construction began on July 10, 2009, and ended on February 16, 2011, costing around 6.7 million.

8. The Museum has a Section for Permanent Collection

Pablo Picasso: La Repasseuse (Woman Ironing) 1911. Photo sourced from

The permanent collection section is organized into three sections: ceramics, engraving and painting and drawing. These cover the early years of Picasso’s artistic life and more than 3,500 works make up the museum’s permanent collection.

The collection is organized into areas that include the early years, the training period, Horta de San Juan and Madrid, the Blue Period, works in Barcelona from 1917 and the entire Las Meninas series.

The collection of lithographs comprises the years 1962 and 1982. The collection also includes illustrations made by the artist for various books and ceramics gifted o the museum by Picasso’s widow, Jacqueline.

The museum began making information available on the permanent collection public on its website between 2009 and 2010. It had over 65% collection available to view online as of October 2010.

9. Picasso Museum Has Carried Out Various Exhibition

Since the museum opened, it has carried out dozens of exhibitions. These exposures are majorly related to the figure of the painter or topics related to their environment, trying to review the work, research and studies of the painter from Malaga.

The museum held an exhibition on the relationship between Picasso and other artists in 2010 and a small exhibition 

focused on one topic called display, such as analyzing the painting Science and Charity, the result of studies showing radiographic and Reflectologia.

From time to time, the museum organizes seminars and lectures on subjects related to Picasso and museological issues of interest given by artists from throughout the world.

10. Picasso Museum Improved its Social Networks in 2010

In 2010, Picasso Museum began a project to improve its active presence on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. The museum’s effort led to the museum winning an award, the Museum and the Web 2010 Best of the Web award for social media.

Picasso museum social media projects promote participatory discussion around the institution’s research and knowledge.