Barcelona’s Museum Is 40 Years!

On Tuesday, September 24, the FC Barcelona Museum, which has hosted numerous visitors over the years, celebrated its 40th anniversary.

The museum of the club celebrates its fourth decade of existence in the year of its 125th anniversary.

The Barcelona museum has a long history of displaying the city’s accomplishments and awards.

Arcadi Balaguer’s board of directors proposed a project to launch a “display and collection of trophies, with the publication of a guide for the education of our members and visiting guests” in the club’s official bulletin of August 1928.

The project never got off the ground, which was a shame.

The idea was revived many years later by the Josep Llus Nez-led board, and in 1982, work began to collect silverware, documents, and numerous other items related to the club’s history.

However, on September 24, 1984, the FC Barcelona Museum finally opened after two years of work by directors Francesc Pulido, at the time in charge of Barça’s heritage department, and architect Josep Casals.

Jaume Ramon was the museum’s first director, serving until 1990. It cost €420,000 to build. Ramon, the unofficial historian of Barça and head of the secretariat for 25 years, was especially proud of the museum.

The museum soon became the most popular due to its reputation as the best football museum in the world. It initially spanned two floors and an area of 950 square meters in the Camp Nou main stand.

The 600 square meters of the first floor were divided into nine historical sections, each representing a different stage in the club’s history. Overhead lighting illuminated the hexagonal blocks that housed these sections.

Additionally, there were three video rooms, sections for various sports, and areas for exceptional events. The 350 square meters of space on the second floor were occupied by all of the gifts given to Barça by its supporters.

The museum underwent its first major renovation in 1987, including items from the club’s two art biennials (1985 and 1987).

This significantly increased the art collection, which also benefited from ongoing contributions from a variety of artists from across the nation.

The museum was later expanded to 1,650 square meters in 1994, putting an emphasis on art and adding more valuable pieces each year.

In addition, the expansion showcased all of the Olympic athletes, presidents, and international players as well as two interactive sections with educational games and information about the facilities.

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The new Barça Documentation Centre, an open-to-all fan research space on the second floor, was part of this renovation, which was launched on October 20, 1994.

The Camp Nou facade was redesigned, and access ramps were built to connect the building to the new club store, bringing the total area of the site to 2,700 square meters in 1997 and 1998. In addition, regular guided tours of the stadium were first offered in 2001.

The Museum underwent a total renovation in 2010 to meet the demands of the 21st century and became known as the Camp Nou Experience, with approximately 3,600 square meters of floor space.

The complete guided tour, which included stops at Spotify Camp Nou, the old Museum, and the FC Barcelona Store, was the main draw.

As a result, visitors were able to have a variety of one-of-a-kind experiences using the most cutting-edge technology: sound installations, touchscreens and audiovisual tables, large screens, and above all, a 35-meter projection of iconic Barça images.

The Spotify Camp Nou redevelopment necessitated the closure of the stadium’s Museum on May 28, 2023. It reopened temporarily on June 6 in the Club’s Ice Rink, next to the Palau Blaugrana, where it had previously been.

The Barça Museum has become the most important sports museum in the world, the most popular in Barcelona, Catalonia, and the third most popular in Spain in its 40-year history.