Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona (Museu Blau) Tours

The highlight of the family-friendly Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona (Museu Blau), devoted primarily to natural history, is the Planet Life exhibition, which chronicles the history of life on Earth. More than 4,500 items are on display, including animal fossils, dinosaur skeletons, rocks, and minerals, along with the skeleton of a whale that beached on Catalan shores in 1862.

The Basics
The latest addition to the Museum of Natural Sciences, Museu Blau opened its doors in 2011. It’s housed in the landmark Forum Building, a futuristic blue structure designed by architects Herzog and de Meuron. In addition to natural-history exhibits, the museum also features temporary exhibition space, a kids’ discovery zone, and a small Mediterranean garden, plus a café and gift shop.

Visitors can choose a basic museum ticket, a combination ticket with entrance to the botanical garden, or a multiattraction pass that offers skip-the-line access to the museum, along with other notable attractions such as the Joan Miró Foundation, Picasso Museum, CaixaForum art museum, and National Art Museum of Catalonia (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya).

Things to Know Before You Go

• Museu Blau is a hit with families traveling with kids.
• Buy your museum tickets online ahead of time to skip the line and enjoy more time inside.
• The museum is wheelchair-accessible.

How to Get There
Museu Blau is located in the Parc del Forum, around 3 miles (5 kilometers) northeast of Barcelona’s Old City (Ciutat Vella). You can get there by taking the T4 tram or Barcelona metro line 4 (yellow line) to Maresme-Forum.

When to Get There
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday throughout the year, though exact hours vary by season. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month and every Sunday afternoon, so expect longer lines and larger crowds during these times.

Barcelona Botanical Garden (Jardí Botànic de Barcelona)
Under the same management as the Museu Blau, the Barcelona Botanical Garden spills down the side of Montjuïc toward the sea. The gardens showcase flora from five regions of the world that have a Mediterranean-like climate.