Museu Frederic Marès

Museum · Barri Gotic ·

Museu Frederic Marès

Museum · Barri Gotic ·

Sculptures, curiosities, tranquil courtyard cafe, former royal palace

Information

Plaça Sant Iu, 5, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain Get directions

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

"Frederic Marès Museum This little-known museum stands inthe shadow of Barcelona Cathedral. You'll find dramatic sculptures from pre-Roman times all the way to the 20th century, including religious works from medieval-era Spain. Frederic Marès was a sculptor by trade, but he was also an inveterate collector, and the museum’s upper floors—called the Collector’s Cabinet—are crammed with 17 rooms of quirky treasures. Among them is the Smokers’ Room, filled with hundreds of pipes, tobacco pouches, cigarette cases, ashtrays, and erotic matchbook covers. Other spaces are devoted to everything from walking sticks to cameras to timepieces to ladies’ accoutrements: gloves, fans, brooches, and even needlework made of human hair."

The Best Things to See and Do in Barcelona

Photo by Alfred Abad/ age fotostock

Museu Frederic Marès

@cntraveler

42,481 Postcards · 5,683 Cities

14 Best Museums in Barcelona | Condé Nast Traveler

"Officially, Frederic Marès was a sculptor, but his real vocation was hoarding. Five minutes inside his museum—which displays Marès' own sculptures and his collection of possessions—and you realize the level of obsessive acquisition. The top two floors are full of artifacts he amassed, from the beautiful (ladies’ fans, jewelry) to the bizarre (keys, spectacles, wrappers from cigarette packets). The lower floors focus on religious artifacts, including many, many crucifixes. Don’t miss the Zen courtyard with orange trees and a summer café." - Gemma Askham

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-museums-in-barcelona

Museu Frederic Marès

@ricksteves

706 Postcards · 220 Cities

Barcelona Travel Guide by Rick Steves

"▲ Quirky museum highlighted by Marès' collection of bric-a-brac from 19th-century Barcelona." - Rick Steves' Europe

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/barcelona

Museu Frederic Marès

Vrity A.

Google

The best part is affordability. Within 4 euros the ticket comes and you can enjoy such a underrated and tremendous curated museum. It was very last moment decision to visit here and we were did not regret at all. It's a must see through when visiting cathedral. It was very enjoyable very good maintained sculptures and artifacts. For the price it's a steal deal. And the staff was helpful too. Like the fact that it has so so much to offer. Can easily take your 3-4 hours if your interestingly go through it!

Elaine L.

Google

The museum was decent, but there are better in Barcelona. The collection was vast but the service level left a bad taste in my mouth. I went on a Sunday at 7:29pm, just barely making it before close. It was free that day, so that was nice. I was aware the museum was closing at 8pm and just wanted to get a glimpse within the last half hour. The staff at the front desk claimed to already be closed and then proceeded to add that the last admission is 7:30. I showed her it was 7:29 and she luckily let me in. I enjoyed the exhibits while I could. At 7:51 I was kicked out by museum staff who seemingly were ready to go home. They escorted me out like I was a thief and were not friendly. I’m glad I didn’t pay but I would have been fine skipping this museum considering it’s staff.

Beniamin C.

Google

A nice museum with a unique collection of sculptures and other objects, including firearms, swords, old clocks, tools, toys and many more. The entrance fee is very low, and on every weekend the entrance is free, after 15:00 o’clock.

Brian M.

Google

An interesting collection of religious art and personal objects collected over the years by Barcelona's most prolific public sculpture Artist

Caius B.

Google

A remarkable museum. The collection hosts a huge collection through more than five centuries of history among statues, paintings, jewellery, weapons, stamps, fans, old toys and many others. Quite underrated I belive, an absolute must for all history lovers. Absolutely 💯 recommended

Kristýna V.

Google

A huge museum of mostly religious artefacts. It's certainly interesting, but most of the objects are very similar, and mostly lack more contextualisation. The entrance fee isn't too high though, so I think it's an interesting place to visit while in Barcelona and searching for a more low-key activity.

Anthony C.

Google

Lots of interesting sculptures. This is because the musuem was founded in 1948 by sculptor and collector Frederic Marès. Housed in a former royal palace, it showcases an eclectic collection of sculptures, artifacts, and everyday objects from the Roman era to the 19th century. Highlights include the extensive sculpture gallery and the “Collector’s Cabinet,” filled with curiosities like fans, clocks, and tools.

Anne R.

Google

It is a quite extraordinary collection of things Mares was interested in, namely religious sculpture from medieval times onwards. Upstairs are countless beautiful fans, lace, pipes, ceramics, keys and other ironwork and many other things. Indeed, to me it’s a mini V&A and just as exhaustive and exhausting. Absolutely wonderful!

Judith M.

Yelp

IMHO- this is the best museum in Barcelona. I say skip the crowds at Park Guel & come spend time here admiring the collections of a passionate chronicler of time and civilizations- & the work of a very good sculptor himself! "I make sculpture too collect sculpture" Also- only 4.5 euros Very good self guided tour Nice helpful staff We were almost the only people there. Delightful.

David L.

Yelp

This museum is located right next to the cathedral and is worth a side visit if time allows. If you're on a tight schedule skip it and round up the usual suspects for your stops in Barcelona. Very deep but narrow collection.

Susan L.

Yelp

Visited another recommended museum in Barcelona. They had a few well known artist on exhibition. Seated figure was my favorite. Constellation by Miro was interesting as well. Worth seeing and strolling through the exhibits.

Dian K.

Yelp

Meh. I entered when it was free and walked in less than an hour. Basically you're seeing a 19th century packrat's stuff, organized well. The courtyard cafe is pretty tranquil in the middle of Barri Gotic. Doesn't require museum ticket to enter. It's free first Sunday of the month or other Sundays after 3pm.

Marqus R.

Yelp

One of the most outstanding features of this museum is not so much what it has to offer, which is a lot, but its location in part of what was the old Royal Palace of the Counts of Barcelona in the Gothic Quarter with the original patio of the courtyard garden remain perfectly in tact. If nothing more, the building itself is worth a visit. The collection of the museum has a wide range with everything ranging from 15th century armor, 19th century hand fans, daguerreotypes, time pieces, weapons, textiles but most predominate with sculptures. Everything is beautifully display, perfectly arranged but heavily weighted toward historical religious sculptures and artifacts.

Nadia Z.

Yelp

While museum is pretty cool, this review will be for courtyard. Yes, trust me, it is that amazing to deserve separate review! It became my sanctuary during our stay in Barri Gòtic. We crossed it in the morning on the way out of hotel, and seek it shadowy retreat in afternoon heat... It's old. Castle ages old. You feel it in the stones and in fountains, in arches and pavings... The orange trees, the castle arches, the romance of it all... This is truly hidden gem of Barcelona.

Ann Marie C.

Yelp

This place was nutty. Really. Just bonkers. As a part of our Sunday museum ritual, Boyfriend and I went to see Federic Marés' horded stuff. Yes, horded stuff. If you have a lot of money, you are a collector. If you are poor, you have a lot of match boxes and a problem. His collection of sculpture is impressive, if a bit one sided. Almost all of it is wooden crucifixions or figures of Madonna and Child. I'm not one to have religious angst at all, but after the up-teenth Virgin Mary with full grown, but baby sized Jesus on her lap, looking like a ventriloquist doll, I started to get a little creeped-out. The upper floors contain rooms of medieval nails and door knobs, women's fans, playing cards, hair pins, pipes, magnifying glasses, sea-shell sculptures ect. It came to a point where every time the craziness overwhelmed me I would find my boyfriend and pretend to be the Late Mrs Marés nagging her husband. "Fred, you can't go to that yard-sale. So help me if you bring back another broken clock, your collection of combs will go right in the trash bin." It was fun, but sometime in the second hour the craziness made my brain hurt.

Mike F.

Yelp

The courtyard is great. The art wasn't my thing. It could be somebody else's, but it wasn't inspiring. Great location and you should go as a part of your tour of the Gothic district just to hang out in the courtyard during an afternoon break, particularly on the first Sunday of the month.