Museum of World Cultures, Barcelona

Last Sunday due to change of plans and that it was too much of a nicer afternoon to be stuck indoors at home, I finally made the visit to the Museu de Cultures del Mon or the Museum of World Cultures. Still indoors, however cycling there meant I got to be outdoors.  Located in the El Borne, 2 doors down the from the Picasso Museum in Carrer/Calle de Montcada, it’s home to sculptures and art work from Africa, Oceania, Asia and South America.

Though I went a few years ago, then it just featured sculptures and art from South American up until just after the Conquistadors. Recently refurbished and expanded, I’ve been wanting to check out the new interior for sometime. The museum itself is in a amazing building, Casa del Marques de Llio with some of the original painted beams and courtyards. An hour was plenty for me to look around (I got a little bored half way round, but that’s just me). All information explaining the art, meaning and significance behind the sculptures is in Catalan, Spanish, English and some French (audio guides). There’s also a free app with further information.

Casa del Marques de Llio

The journey starts in Africa, working it’s way through Oceania, Asia, to South America. Some of the African sculpture was amazing, the Oceania rooms gave me the creeps (old wood smell and the room felt heavy. Maybe the face masks were doing their job.) and the Mayans, did anybody survive in those times? Buddha has as many looks as incarnations. Simpler outfits in Japan and South Korea, more elaborate in India and China. A few of my favourites: Polynesian canoe figure heads, bark paper Aboriginal kangaroo dot paintings, an Indonesian gold crown, Japanese paintings and clay horse head, Korean vases  and of course nearly all the jewellery!

Africa

Oceania

Australia

Indonesia, India, China (Asia)

Japan, South Korea, China

South America

Entry is free all day every 1st Sunday of the month, free from 3-7pm every Sunday. Closed Mondays except Bank holidays, open Tues – Sun 10am -7pm (8pm Sundays), general admission €3.50. Lockers provided, toilets and photography allowed (no flash).