To understand how Picasso became Picasso, come to Barcelona. He spent key years of his youth here, and the Museu Picasso, opened in 1963, holds one of the most important collections of his work – above all from his formative years. It occupies a row of medieval palaces on Carrer de Montcada, in El Born.
What to see
The early works
Paintings from his teenage years, such as Science and Charity and First Communion, show an astonishingly gifted academic painter – years before Cubism.
The Blue Period
Barcelona was where the young artist worked during part of his Blue Period, and the museum has key works from these years.
Las Meninas
In 1957 Picasso painted a series of variations on Velázquez’s Las Meninas. He gave the series to the museum, where it fills several rooms – a fascinating dialogue between two Spanish masters.
The building
The galleries are linked through Gothic courtyards and stone staircases; the palaces are almost as beautiful as the paintings.
Tips
- Book online to choose your time and skip the ticket queue.
- The museum is closed on Mondays; it offers free entry at certain times – check the website.
- Combine with the church of Santa Maria del Mar and the bars of El Born, a few steps away.
