Barcelona once again demonstrates at Christmas that its cultural energy never rests. The city takes advantage of these weeks to transform museums, heritage centers and creative spaces into authentic meeting points where art coexists with workshops, concerts, markets and family activities. Each year the offer grows a little more and, this time, comes with
This year, the agenda of activities is once again aimed especially at families and children, but also surprises young people and adults looking for cultural plans away from the commercial hustle and bustle. The city is promoting artistic itineraries, winter camps, science laboratories, guided tours, creative markets and participatory experiences to suit any taste or age. And it does so with a style all its own: accessible, approachable and full of curiosity.
Markets that mix design, craftsmanship and local talent
One of the great attractions of these weeks are the creative markets that fill with life some of the most emblematic facilities. At Disseny Hub Barcelona, the
The space also organizes visits to the Casa Bloc Floor-Museum and a family activity called Design in your pocket, where children discover the history of fashion through a hands-on workshop. The combination of guided tour and manual creativity attracts more and more families every year looking for different plans.
Fabra i Coats: Fábrica de Creación is not far behind. The
Libraries, archives and historical sites that open their doors in a special way.
During Christmas, the city invites you to rediscover little-known corners. The Arús Public Library, for example, offers guided tours through Cases Singulars, which also organizes special tours of unique spaces such as the College of Architects, the Ateneo Barcelonés or the Palau Baró de Quadras. These visits allow visitors to take a look at buildings that often go unnoticed, despite their enormous historical value.
The Photographic Archive of Barcelona is committed to sensory workshops designed for children between 5 and 12 years old. In the Visual Christmas Carols workshop, the little ones create portraits with light resources that completely transform the photographic experience. In Christmas Landscapes, they travel around the city with an instant camera to capture the festive atmosphere and observe how the streets change during these dates.
Montjuïc becomes a world to explore
Montjuïc Castle is preparing several activities designed for children to discover the history of the castle in an entertaining way. One of the most sought after is
The facility also schedules a bird banding session, a trail game open every weekend and guided tours for those who want to see another side of the mountain.
Museums committed to creative workshops and immersive experiences
The Museum of History of Barcelona proposes Archaeonauts of the city, a workshop in which children explore Barcelona through inventions, science and heritage at the sites of El Born and Plaça del Rei. The activity mixes adventure and history and usually fills all the places.
Ethnological museums also join the celebration. At the Montcada site, the EMAKIMONO workshop introduces children to techniques such as origami or collage, inspired by the Ainu culture of Japan. At the Montjuïc headquarters, another workshop invites to work with traditional Catalan crafts, from baskets to agricultural tools, bringing ancient crafts to new generations.
The Royal Monastery of Pedralbes is also expanding its program with much-loved activities: Christmas pottery workshops, floral decoration, a concert of baroque music and a workshop to make handmade soap.
Picasso, Miró and other classics reinterpreted in a familiar key
The Museu Picasso is committed to an ideal activity for families: a workshop to learn printmaking techniques inspired by the artist’s work. Children discover how Picasso worked while creating their own engraving. At the same time, the Teixint redes itinerary offers a tour of the young painter’s Barcelona.
The Fundació Joan Miró organizes a winter casal that encourages artistic experimentation. It also offers a performative action that mixes music, theater of the absurd and visual poetry, as well as activities that allow visitors to learn about Miró’s creative processes from the inside.
The CCCB, meanwhile, is opening a mediation space inspired by the exhibition Rodoreda, un bosque, where visitors create flowers with collage and enjoy a reading and quiet area. The center also screens short films for children by filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami.
Science, sea and fantastic creatures to awaken the imagination
The Maritime Museum proposes the activity Patapumers in action, a workshop to learn how to steer a ship, recognize parts of the boats or discover pirate stories. The museum also participates in the Christmas Fair at the Moll de la Fusta and organizes, together with the Museum of Natural Sciences, a new edition of the Family Museum Quiz.
The Museum of Natural Sciences is turning its attention to these dates with several proposals: scientific board games, paper animation workshops to explain natural phenomena and the activity Bestiari mai vist, which invites you to imagine fantastic creatures inspired by the animals in the exhibition Animals Invisibles.
The Museu de la Música is back with its traditional Christmas instrument workshop. And the Chocolate Museum conquers both children and adults with courses to create filled nougat or mold chocolate figures like real master confectioners.
A city that lives culture even on holidays
Barcelona proves once again that culture is part of its DNA, even on the most important days of the calendar. Even so, it is advisable to consult schedules before visiting the museums, because many change their opening times during the holidays and all are closed on December 25 and January 1. The offer is so wide that it is impossible to cover it all, but that is precisely its charm: there is always something to discover.
