Fundació Joan Miró

Fundació Joan Miró was created by the artist himself with an initial collection mainly made up of his own works with the aim of establishing in Barcelona an internationally renowned space, fostering research and studies on contemporary art, and showcasing his collection. The foundation was opened to the public in 1975 and, since then, it has become a dynamic space where Miró’s art coexists alongside the very latest in contemporary art creations.

With an interdisciplinary focus, Fundació Joan Miró combines temporary exhibitions of the work of artists from the 20th and 21st centuries with academic activities and projects in collaboration with other institutions and entities in the country. Through its exhibition programme and its educational programme it presents points of reflection around subjects related to Miró’s work and current trends.

Fundació Joan Miró is located in a building designed by the architect Josep Lluís Sert and it is one of the few museums in the world in which the artist and the architect established a dialogue of complicity between the works and the spaces that house them. Sert was inspired by popular Mediterranean constructions to design a building in glass and white concrete in an open architectural style with large terraces and interior courtyards designed to orient the circulation of visitors.

In Sert, who was a disciple of Le Corbusier and the Dean of Harvard Graduate School of Design, Miró found a great ally. The building won the "Council of Europe Museum Prize" in 1977 and the "Twenty-five Year Award" in 2002. The captivating complex of white volumes designed by Sert integrates into the landscape of Montjuïc to provide a home for more than 14,000 pieces of Miró’s work.

At Fundació Joan Miró you can discover the artist’s entire oeuvre, starting with his first paintings, which are clearly influenced by French Impressionism, Fauvism and Cubism, such as the "Chapel of Sant Joan d’Horta" and "Portrait of a Young Girl", and then moving on to his fully Surrealist period with "The Bottle of Wine" and his collages, such as "Homage to Prats". The collection also includes his works on the Civil War, "Man and Woman in front of a Pile of Excrement", and one of the works of the "Constellations" series, painted during the Second World War.

Every nook and cranny of this cultural space can be visited, even by people with limited mobility or with disabilities. In addition to the Miró and Sert Collection, inside the premises you'll find a gift shop, library, book store and bar.

When planning your visit, keep in mind that during the winter and summer months museum hours are different. You can enter the Foundation as late as a half hour before closing.The average length of a complete visit is 30 minutes. Come and discover this unique space on the official web page of Fundació Miró!

How to get to Fundació Miró

One of the ways to get to the Joan Miró Foundation is by cable car. This is the most attractive and comfortable option. From the cable car, you'll be able to enjoy extraordinary views of the city.

To arrive by the Montjuïc Cable Car, use the Parc de Montjuïc stop. In addition, from this station you can visit other cultural attractions such as the Catalan National Museum of Art, Poble Espanyol and the Ethnology Museum of Barcelona. Also very close by is the Olympic Ring, the historic site of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.  

For the most curious of you

• Did you know? In 1956 the architect Josep Lluís Sert designed Joan Miró’s studio in Majorca.
• Local’s tip: If after visiting Fundació Joan Miró you want to learn even more about the artist, in the city of Barcelona you can find three of his works, which were expressly created to welcome visitors arriving by air, land and sea. They are the mural at Terminal 2 at Barcelona-El Prat airport; the sculpture "Woman and Bird", in Escorxador Park, near Sants railway station; and the Pla de l’Os mosaic on La Rambla, very close to the port.
• A must: For admirers of Miró and Sert.