Museum of Montserrat
The Museum of Montserrat is part of the Montserrat Monastery complex, and worth putting on your itinerary if you enjoy art and art history.
The monastery was destroyed in the 19th century, so everything you see in the museum has been acquired since.
There are several permanent collections to view at the Museu de Montserrat, and you may see temporary exhibits when you visit as well. The more than 1,300 exhibits span a gigantic period from the 13th century B. C. all the way to 2010!
From artworks by masters like Caravaggio and Picasso to a collection of gorgeous icons, the collections at the Montserrat Museum are diverse and fascinating.
While you can see the collections in about one hour, art lovers could easily spend more time here.
Planning a trip to the historic mountaintop abbey? Bookmark our Montserrat Monastery website for the complete rundown on visiting Montserrat!
And if you’re just starting to plan your visit to Barcelona, check out the some of the top day trips from Barcelona, which you absolutely don’t want to miss!
Fleshing out your Barcelona itinerary? Browse our round-up of the top 10 things to do in Barcelona — iconic attractions and activities you just can’t miss on your first visit to this vibrant city, from La Sagrada Familia to Montjuic.
Collections at the Museum of Montserrat
The Archaeology of the Ancient World collection contains the chronologically oldest exhibit in the museum, a sarcophagus from Egypt that dates back to the 13th century B.C.
The collection also includes other exhibits from Egypt, as well as from Mesopotamia, Greece, and Ancient Persia.
Established in 1906, the Ancient World collection continues to grow.
The Antique Paintings collection contains several old masters like El Greco, Caravaggio, and Tiepolo.
These paintings largely date from the 13th century to the 18th century.
The Modern Paintings collection features works from the 19th and 20th centuries. Here you will see many striking works by modern Catalan artists, as well as artists from other schools.
Look for works by such masters as Picasso, Dali, Monet, and Degas.
The Museum of Montserrat houses a breathtaking iconography collection, where you can see the way the Virgin has been portrayed in art over time. The Phos Hilaron icon collection features dozens of Slavic and Byzantine icons.
Also look for the goldsmithery collection, which contains liturgical artifacts.
Apart from the paintings, the Museum of Montserrat boasts several sculptures, as well as drawings.
The Museum of Montserrat Building
The building in which the Museum of Montserrat is housed was designed by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch in 1929 as part of a larger project to redesign the squares at the monastery complex.
The temporary exhibition room is a much newer addition. More additions are in the works, including an exhibit of the oldest buildings at Montserrat preserved at the site.
Museum of Montserrat Opening Hours
The Museum of Montserrat is open daily from 10 a.m. until 5.45 p.m. On Christmas Day, the museum closes at 1.45 p.m.
Museum of Montserrat Entrance Fee and Tickets
The Museum of Montserrat has an entrance fee.
Adults pay 8€ per person. Students, retired persons, and groups of 20 or more are charged 6,50€ per person. Children aged 8 to 16 years pay 4€ per child, and kids under 8 are free.
If you wish to only see the temporary exhibitions, you pay 3,50€ per person.
The museum is free to visit on April 27, the feast day of Our Lady of Montserrat.
You can buy tickets to the Museu de Montserrat online at the museum website.
You can also buy a combination ticket to the Basilica at Montserrat and the Montserrat Museum online at GetYourGuide..
Entrance to the museum is included in the ToT Montserrat ticket, which you can buy online at GetYourGuide. The ToT Montserrat ticket includes transport to and from Montserrat, plus entrance to the Basilica and the throne room of the Black Madonna as well as the Museum of Montserrat and the audio-visual room.
>> Buy your Tot Montserrat ticket now!