A hundred million euros to enlarge the MNAC
The recent agreement between the Government of Catalonia and the City Council to fund various Catalan cultural facilities in the city will provide 100 million euros for the renovation and enlargement of the MNAC. There will also be ten million euros to complete the improvement work at the Mercat de les Flors.
A meeting between the Catalan Minister for Culture, Sònia Hernández, and the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, provided the chance to make firm the agreements reached in the session by the Barcelona City Council – Government of Catalonia Joint Committee. The increase in funding will bring improvements and enlargements to leading museum facilities such as the MNAC and the MACBA, plus performing arts, with the finalisation of the work at the Mercat de les Flors. In all, the new investment consists of 63 million euros from the Government of Catalonia and 61 million euros from Barcelona City Council.
The enlargement of the MNAC includes the incorporation of the Pavelló Victòria Eugènia, which will become part of the Museu Nacional, and the renovation of the current facilities. Both administrations have made a commitment to start the administrative steps for the work to be carried out, in accordance with their respective statutory percentages. They will also manage the commitments of the State Administration for funding the improvement and enlargement projects.
The work comes within the context of the centenary of the International Expo of 1929 in Montjuïc and forms part of the Parc de Montjuïc Action Plan 2019-2029, which sets out the action and areas of work for consolidating the mountain as a model park with facilities for everybody.
Also in the Parc de Montjuïc, the Mercat de les Flors consortium has been carrying out work since 2023 to renovate the facility and improve its spaces. Constructed for the Universal Expo of 1929, the building needed bringing up to date to celebrate the centenary in good shape. A second stage of the improvement work will be executed from 2026, involving the Sala Maria Aurèlia Capmany, the main hall in the theatre. The estimated cost for this new stage totals 10 million euros over three years, with the City Council contributing 6 million and the Catalan government 4 million.
Elsewhere, according to the agreements now announced, the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, also responsible for the Jardí Botànic, will become a National Museum. The goals in the Catalan Museums Plan, Museus 2030, include the creation of the Museu Nacional de Ciències Naturals de Catalunya, based on the current Consorci del Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona. As a first step in this recognition process, the Government of Catalonia will be stepping up its funding over the next three years to bring the museum’s status as a National Museum into effect.
