Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)

The arty hub of Raval
Noteworthy for: The museum was designed by American architect Richard Meier and built during the frenzy of regeneration around the time of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

At first sight MACBA may seem out of place in the dense, historical neighbourhood of Raval, but the vast, light-filled modern structure has given the area a boost and become a real focus of the community.
The ground and first floor of this concrete and glass building contain many of the 3,000 pieces that make up the gallery's own collection. Works focus on the second half of the 20th century and are divided into three main periods - post-World War II; 1968; and the years since the fall of the Berlin wall. Artists include the likes of Antoni Tàpies, Joan Brossa, Paul Klee and Miquel Barceló.

Temporary exhibitions are of variable quality, but its always worth poking your head in; if you don't like what you see, you can just retire to the popular cafe, browse the bookshop and watch the skateboarders do tricks on Plaça dels Angels.