Barcelona Museu de la Ciència CosmoCaixa, like Museo de Ciències Naturales, Forum is one of several science museums in Barcelona. CosmoCaixa covers physics, geology, biology and astrology. The museum is know as one of the best and most technological science museum in Europe. CosmoCaixa is not run by Barcelona City Council but is owned and run by the Spanish banking giant La Caixa.
The historic part of the building in which the museum is located was built between 1904 and 1909 by the architect Josep Doménech i Estapà, and was initially used as housing for blind girls. It's a beautiful work of modernist architecture, with its simple red bricks and the wonderful, decorative mosaics.
In 1979, the building was expanded, and opened to the public in 1981 as a science museum called Caixa. In the following years, further extensions became necessary, until the museum had to be completely re-designed. The new part of the building, made of glass and built as two basement floors, was created by the architects Esteve and Robert Terradas costing 100 million euros.
The current CosmoCaixa museum opened in September 2004 with a total exhibition space of 50,000 square metres and was named European Museum of the Year in 2006.
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Access to the Museum is from Carrer d'Isaac Newton opposite the Shark Submarine. Once inside you descend to the lower floor via a spiral atrium ramp surrounding a hanging tree with root structure.
the first section of the CosmoCaixa museum is an interactive physics zone where visitors can engage with interactive experiments that explain heat, electricity, sound, pressure, plasma, magnetism and light refraction. This leads into the biology and evolution section before getting to the The museum's most prominant feature.
CosmoCaixa museum has an enormous indoor aquarium that has humidity, trees and vines that are similar to a swamp in Amazon Rainforest. From the main hall of the museum you can view into the amazon swamp via large glass windows and see many species of fish. To the left side is a corridor that leads down some stairs and into an small subterranean section where you can also see into the swamp. There is also a walk way through the swamp for visitors where you will get to see more species of animals. When you are finished in the museum to the rear of the building is a large patio with walkways over the Amazon swamp with views of the tree tops.
When in the museum, check the show times for the planetarium. a mini cinema with a projection system that puts you in the middle of space to explore the galaxy. Foucault pendulum was a science experiment to prove the earth's rotation. here you can see how this experiment worked.
The museum also regularly hosts temporary exhibitions. The CosmoCaixa museum is a fantastic child friendly museum with most of the exhibits being designed for children and at the same time very interesting for adults. I recommend allowing two to three hours to fully explore the museum.
When I visited the museum, I paid 5 euros for a ticket in the museum reception. Tickets can also be purchased from the CosmoCaixa website and entry is free for La Caixa customers.
The museum is accessible from the street with no steps. Lifts provide full access to all the rooms for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The museum rooms are wide and spacious. This is a very child friendly museum.
Bicycle anchorage points are in front of the museum.
I was allowed inside with my small 10L museum rucksack but larger bags may have to be left in reception.
Address: Carrer d'Isaac Newton 26, Barcelona. 08022
Nearest FGC Train Station is Avenida Tibidabo on the brown (L7) line. Use a T-Casual or Hola-Barcelona travel card.
Saba Pay parking can be found behind the museum in Calle dels Quatre Camins 89.
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Circular city walk in Barcelona via Sant Gervasi church, Torre bellesguard, CosmoCaixa science museum, Avenida Tibidabo and Tamarita Gardens.
Distance: 3.85 Km
Difficulty: Easy
Return Travel Fare: T-Casual Zone 1
Transport Network: Metro
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