I easily found my guesthouse, and since it was still too early to check in, I just dropped my bags for the day and headed out. I decided to go to the Plaça d'Espanya, and from there I decided that I wanted to visit the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. It is after all a museum that is worth visiting, and somehow I just haven't had the chance to check it out during my previous visits to the city.
The museum is perhaps most recognisable from the outside, as it sits on top of the hill that has a series of fountains up front. Also, directly in front of it is the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. That's another one of those Barcelona items that I haven't seen yet, since it is most beautiful during the night.
The building is the Palau Nacional, which was the main site of the 1929 International Exhibition. The museum is its main tenant since the 1930s. It is designed in the Spanish Renaissance style, and features interesting architectural gems, such as the Great Hall.
Of course the artwork is also fascinating, and I indeed spent a few hours wandering its corridors checking out the artwork. I saw a few Picassos, including the woman with the crooked face. I find Picasso's art intellectually stimulating, since I know what he wanted to accomplish, but visually speaking I am not attracted to his works. Anyway, there are plenty of other things worth seeing here aside from Picasso. I was also impressed by the museum's collection of Romanesque churches and their wall paintings. I am more a fan of contemporary art, but I must say that this collection is nevertheless impressive.
I am glad that I was able to check this out. Do pay this museum a visit if you are in town. It's a very culturally enriching experience.
