The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya tells a story of transformation that has made it an undisputed point of reference on Barcelona’s museum circuit. It is one of the great icons of Catalan culture and is a solid example of development in the management and running of cultural and heritage amenities.

The Museu d’Art de Catalunya opened its doors in 1934 and more than half a century later, merging with the Museum of Modern Art in 1995, the current Museum was created. Thus the center expanded its halls to house the world’s largest collection of Romanesque art in the world. This development reached a key milestone in 2004, with the incorporation of the modern art collection and the beginning of a change of model in the conception of museums as spaces where the public take centre stage. At that time, MagmaCultura began to provide its services to the the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya as a cultural management company.

CHALLENGE

The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is an example of constant evolution over its almost 90 years of existence. Over and above the successive extensions of spaces and collections, the institution was a pioneer in its commitment to a change of museum model, in which the public became an integral part in the design of its dissemination activities.

Among other things, this marked the beginning of its work in cultural mediation and visitor services. It was a privilege for MagmaCultura to support the center in its transformation. We arrived at the point when the project was first implemented, almost 20 years ago, and the lessons we learned were key to us subsequently being able to introduce this model in other museums.

GOALS

We work towards accomplishing the following objectives:

• To ensure efficient running in an ever-changing, expanding and evolving environment.
• To contribute to the change of model promoted by the institution, based on putting the public at the heart of the museum.
• To support the expansion and diversification of its audience.
• To reinforce the presence of tourists and maintain the connections with local and school audiences.

TASK

MagmaCultura’s role at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya involves the following tasks:

• Meeting the needs of user service and reception.
• Managing ticket sales.
• Information and room supervision service.
• Assisting users in the museum’s library.
• Coordination and execution of satisfaction surveys.

RESULTS

Today the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is a leading and pioneering museum in the change of museum model. A space measuring 2,300 square metres and with 3,500 works on display, where almost seven million visitors have been at the centre of the museum’s day-to-day activities over the last ten years.

KEY PROJECT FEATURES

• Orientation towards change and constant adaptation.
• Experience in the management and running of cultural and heritage facilities.
• Professional competence and operational efficiency.
• Capacity to select and define teams for cultural institutions and projects.