Quick answer
- General admission is €12 — permanent collection, temporary exhibitions and the rooftop viewpoint, valid for two days within a month.
- Basic admission is €2 — the building, the rooftop viewpoint and a self-guided visit, without the collections.
- Free for everyone on Saturdays from 15:00 and on the first Sunday of the month.
- Under-16s are free when accompanying a general admission ticket holder, as are over-65s.
- Closed Mondays. Winter Tue–Sat 10:00–18:00; summer Tue–Sat 10:00–20:00; Sundays and holidays 10:00–15:00 year-round.
MNAC is the enormous domed palace at the top of the steps above Plaça d’Espanya that everyone photographs and almost nobody goes into. But during pandemics, with everything closed, once we were allowed to move within Barcelona city we decided to go and visit it inside.
Where to stay in Barcelona — our three picks
Generator Barcelona – private family rooms at hostel prices, five minutes from Passeig de Gràcia and metro Diagonal (L3/L5). Rooms are small and the bar downstairs is lively, so ask for a higher floor.
H10 Cubik – on the edge of the Gothic Quarter, with the Atic rooftop terrace and pool. You can walk to the cathedral, the beach and the Born from the door, which saves you metro tickets all week.
The Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection – the old cotton guild building on Gran Via, a ten-minute walk from Casa Batlló and the Sagrada Família side of Eixample. Quiet, grown-up, and the rooftop is the reason to book it.
Affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
The €2 ticket, explained
This is the thing worth knowing. MNAC sells two levels of entry:
| Ticket | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| General | €12 | Permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, rooftop viewpoint. Valid two days within a month. |
| Basic | €2 | The building, the rooftop viewpoint, self-guided visit. No collections. |
If you want the view over Plaça d’Espanya and across the city — and the great domed hall — you can have it for €2. Most guides list only the €12 price.
We haven´t been on the top, because by the time we visited it we weren´t aware about this possibility. From friends and coworkers, I understood that it is worth it to pay 2EUR and visit the rooftop.
When it’s free
- Every Saturday from 15:00 until closing
- The first Sunday of every month, all day
- Additional free days: 18 May and 11 September
The Saturday afternoon slot is the one to use. It’s a full free run at one of the best collections in Spain, and it’s far less publicised than the first-Sunday rule.
We went on Sunday, and on a rainy day. There were a lot of people in the queue. Even though, already by that time, you had to book it online, even if it is free. So we did it, and had priority to enter.
What’s actually in it
The Romanesque collection is the reason MNAC matters internationally — medieval church frescoes lifted from Pyrenean churches and rebuilt inside the museum. There’s also Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque work, and a modern collection including Catalan modernisme.
I loved every side of the museum, but if I would repeat, I won´t stop on the medieval frescoes too much, as I would say it takes a lot of time and space. So once we went to Romanesque section, kids were already tired to stay longer, and we had to go faster.
With kids
Kids enjoyed at the beginning, but later on they were tired. The museum is big enough for visiting it with small kids. I would advise you to go several times into this museum and visit it by sections if you go with kids.
Getting there
The Palau Nacional on Montjuïc, at the top of the steps from Plaça d’Espanya. There are outdoor escalators up the hill — and the Magic Fountain sits directly below.
Related
- 50 Free Things to Do in Barcelona — MNAC is in the free-museum table there
- El Poble Espanyol Barcelona family guide — same hill
- Top Places to Visit in Barcelona
- Most Instagrammable Places in Barcelona — Plaça d’Espanya and the Magic Fountain
- Barcelona City Tour bus map — MNAC is an orange route stop
- Outbound: https://www.museunacional.cat
MNAC Barcelona: FAQ
How much is MNAC Barcelona?
General admission is €12 and covers the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions and the rooftop viewpoint, valid for two days within a month. There is also a basic €2 ticket giving access to the building and the rooftop viewpoint without the collections.
When is MNAC free?
Every Saturday from 3pm until closing, and on the first Sunday of every month all day. There are additional free days on 18 May and 11 September. Under-16s and over-65s enter free when accompanying a general admission ticket holder.
Can you visit the MNAC rooftop viewpoint separately?
Yes. The €2 basic admission ticket includes the rooftop viewpoint and access to the building, without the collections — one of the cheapest panoramic views in Barcelona.
What are MNAC’s opening hours?
Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 6pm in winter and 10am to 8pm in summer, and Sundays and public holidays 10am to 3pm year-round. Closed Mondays, and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
