Museu Monestir de Pedralbes

About the museum

The Pedralbes monastery was founded in 1327 by Queen Elisenda de Montcada with the support of her husband, King Jaume II. From the beginning it was inhabited by Poor Clares, the female branch of the Franciscan order, who lived here almost without interruption until 1983, when the complex became a museum. It is one of the finest examples of Catalan Gothic, with a notable church and an especially large and harmonious three-storey cloister.

In the church stand out the tomb of Queen Elisenda, which has two faces (one shows her as sovereign and the other as a penitent widow), and the 14th-century stained-glass windows. Around the cloister open the day cells where the nuns withdrew to pray. The Sant Miquel chapel, commissioned in 1343 from the painter Ferrer Bassa, preserves mural paintings of great value, with influences from Giotto and from the Italian workshops of the time. The route is completed by the chapter house, the abbey, the refectory, the kitchen, the procuras (procurators' rooms), the dormitory, the infirmary, the cloister of the cats and the medieval orchard.

The collection brings together more than 3,000 objects: painting, sculpture, goldsmith's work, ceramics, glass, textiles and liturgical vestments, furniture, manuscripts and ethnological pieces, largely from royal donations and from the nuns themselves. In the former dormitory the exhibition “Els tresors del monestir” (The Treasures of the Monastery) is presented.

Highlights

• Three-storey Gothic cloister
• Mural paintings by Ferrer Bassa in the Sant Miquel chapel
• Tomb of Queen Elisenda de Montcada
• Exhibition “Els tresors del monestir” in the former dormitory
• Medieval orchard and cloister of the cats

Permanent exhibitions

• Els tresors del monestir – Selection of artworks, furniture and liturgical and everyday objects gathered by the community of Poor Clares over seven centuries, displayed in the former dormitory and organised in four historical areas.
• Tocar l’Ànima. Els murals de la capella de Sant Miquel – Museum space on the mural paintings of the Sant Miquel chapel and their restoration, with an immersive and interactive room featuring a 3D re-creation of the chapel.
• Plantes, remeis i apotecaris. El jardí medieval del monestir de Pedralbes – Permanent display in the cloister on plants, remedies and apothecaries of the monastery's medieval garden.

Founded

1983

Operated by

Ajuntament de Barcelona (Institut de Cultura de Barcelona)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of each month and all Sundays from 15:00. Open-day events in 2026: 12 February, 28 and 29 March, 3 and 17 May, 4 June and 24 September.

Free admission also for members of ICOM, the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya and the Associació de Pessebristes de Barcelona, professional tourist guides, accredited teachers, press professionals, holders of the Barcelona Card, the free pink card and Gaudir+Barcelona, and beneficiaries of the “Quadern Cultura”. The museum accepts the Bono Cultural Joven (youth cultural voucher).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Access ramp to the monastery entrance and a lift to the first floor of the cloister; wheelchairs for anyone who needs one, and adapted toilets. Tactile 3D models of the monastery and of the queen's tomb, and an orientation plan in relief and in Braille. Accessible guided visits for booked groups (support for people with visual or intellectual disabilities, and sign language interpretation on request). Staff trained in accessibility. Information in Catalan, Spanish and English.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The monastery offers a family audio guide and support materials for the self-guided visit, as well as activities for family audiences.

Getting there & parking

By car: exit 9 of the Ronda de Dalt.

Amenities & dining

• Coat check

Cloakroom service.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Through the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona, four spaces (the cloister, the refectory, the assembly hall and the room of the skylights) can be hired by organisations, associations and companies for events outside opening hours.

Plan your visit