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TOP SCIENCE SPOTS
Torre Glòries This bullet-shaped tower has been a feature of Barcelona’s skyline since 2003. In its top section, a new exhibition allows visitors to experience the city through several interactive art installations.
Estació de França Although Sants station has more passengers, França remains Barcelona’s most attractive, with grand architecture and elegant lobbies. Albert Einstein arrived here in 1923 on his way back from a tour to Japan.
Jardins de Laribal The city’s first rose garden boasts panoramic views. At the far end is the Escola del Bosc, a pioneering school once led by Catalan teacher Rosa Sensat that placed the use of outdoor spaces at the heart of its system.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Disseny Hub cultural centre; CosmoCaixa aquarium; Museu Blau; Fabra Observatory PICTURES: Shutterstock/Joan Bautista, frantic00, travellight, BearFotos
fast factast act The soon-to-launch
Barcelona CardScience will cost €10 and
offer discounts of up to 50% for entry to 28 venues, including the Supercomputer Centre, the Disseny
Hub Barcelona (Design Museum) and the Botanical Gardens.
visitbarcelona.com
36 9 JUNE 2022
Touch!’), encourage kids to take a hands-on approach to learn about life in different habitats. The Casa de l’Aigua, built in 1917 to improve the hygienic conditions of the city’s water supply, is now a lively cultural hub and museum offering a fascinating glimpse into Barcelona’s industrial heritage, and a trip to the top of the Fabra Observatory – the fourth-oldest still in operation in the world – is worth it for stunning views of both the sky above and the city below. The old Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, now the Museu Blau, is a fascinating museum that explains Earth’s evolution and life from its origins right up to the present day, and in its Science Nest children up to age six can explore and play with natural materials. But it’s also a must-see for the building it’s housed in, the cleverly engineered triangular Fòrum by noted architects Herzog & de Meuron. These 20th and 21st-century science attractions build on a heritage of industrial, medical and technological innovations that stretch back centuries – as far back as the 1400s, when the Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu was built. This fine example of Catalan civil Gothic architecture was part of Barcelona’s main hospital for around 500 years, and these days makes an engaging site for visitors, who can imbibe centuries of medical history as they walk among the vast former wards. Quirkier offerings include the Reial Acadèmia de Farmàcia de Catalunya, a site devoted to the
33We want to have continuity – this will not just be one shot and we’re done. We will adapt, showing visitors what we have
study of drugs and home to Europe’s oldest pharmacy, while those with a sweet tooth might consider the Museu de la Xocolata, a museum tracing the origins of chocolate where visitors can learn, among other things, about its aphrodisiac properties. Marcó says the city wants to highlight its science heritage, and build on it for future generations. “We want to have continuity – this will not just be one shot and we’re done. We will continue to adapt, showing what we have for visitors,” she says. “We’re also talking to local people who can act as ambassadors for us. If they think these things are interesting, then others are likely to as well.” A key part of the initiative is the creation of seven
‘trails’, which enable visitors to trace both the history and future of Barcelona as a centre of science. The Industrial Relics Trail takes in the former factories of the Poblenou neighbourhood, which became known as the ‘Catalan Manchester’ during the 19th-century textile boom. It is now home to the 22@ district, the heart of the city’s tech industry, and many of its old warehouses have been
travelweekly.co.uk
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