Barcelona Design Museum

The Design Museum of Barcelona, located in the innovative building Disseny Hub Barcelona at Plaça de les Glòries, is one of the most fascinating cultural institutions in the city, dedicated to the exploration and celebration of design in all its forms. Born from the merger of four previous museums – the Museu de les Arts Decoratives, the Museu de Ceràmica, the Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentària, and the Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques – the Museu del Disseny houses a vast collection ranging from decorative arts to contemporary design, from fashion to textiles, and from graphic arts to industrial design. Inaugurated in 2014, the museum aims to tell the story of the evolution of design and decorative arts, highlighting the interaction between aesthetics, functionality, and technological innovation. Its permanent exhibitions revolve around four main themes: decorative arts, design arts, fashion and textiles, and graphic arts. Each section of the museum offers an in-depth view of the different disciplines, showing how design has influenced and continues to influence our daily lives. Decorative arts are richly represented in the museum, with a collection that includes unique pieces from the Gothic period to the Renaissance, including Coptic and Hispano-Arabic textiles, embroideries, lace, and ceramics. These objects not only illustrate craftsmanship but also tell the cultural and social evolution of different eras. Among the most notable examples are the ceramics of Llorens Artigas and the glass works of Mariano Fortuny, which showcase the extraordinary technical skill and creativity of artisans from the past. The section dedicated to industrial and product design is equally impressive. Here, visitors can admire icons of Catalan and Spanish design, such as the Filomatic razor, Miguel Milà’s lamp, André Ricart’s ice tongs, and the famous 1962 Impala motorcycle. These objects represent not only technical innovations but also milestones in the aesthetics and culture of Spanish design. Particularly interesting is the section dedicated to the design of the 1960s and 1970s, which shows how design responded to the needs of a rapidly evolving society, introducing innovative and often revolutionary solutions. The museum also dedicates ample space to fashion and textiles, with a collection that traces the evolution of costume from the 16th century to the present day. The collection includes pieces of haute couture by renowned Spanish and international designers, along with fabrics and historical garments that tell stories of styles and trends through the centuries. Among the most precious pieces are the garments of Cristóbal Balenciaga, representing the elegance and sophistication of Spanish fashion, and the modern fabrics of Sybilla and Lydia Delgado, showing how fashion can be a means of artistic and cultural expression. The Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques, an integral part of the museum, houses a vast collection of objects related to visual communication, such as typographic matrices, posters, and packaging. This segment of the museum allows for an understanding of the evolution of printing techniques and graphic art, highlighting the crucial role of graphics in culture and society. The collection includes works by important Catalan typographers and graphic designers, such as Ricard Giralt Miracle and Enric Crous-Vidal, who have left an indelible mark on the history of graphic design.