CosmoCaixa

CosmoCaixa is the science museum run by the Fundació la Caixa in the hills of upper Barcelona, and it is one of the best rainy-day or family options in the city, as well as a genuinely impressive museum for adults. It occupies a converted early twentieth-century building that was expanded and reopened in 2004 with huge new underground halls, and the scale of the main exhibition space, descending by a spiral ramp around a tall tree, is the first surprise. The second is the Flooded Forest, the museum's showpiece: a living reproduction of a seasonally flooded stretch of the Amazon rainforest, enclosed in glass, with real trees and plants and animals including fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds. You follow a path through the forest at canopy and ground level, experience a simulated tropical downpour at scheduled times, and then go below the water line to watch huge fish swim through the flooded roots. The third is the Geological Wall, a hundred-metre-long display of real rock sections cut from different landscapes and brought to the museum, which tells the story of how the Earth's surface is shaped. Around these, the Universe Room ranges across physics, astronomy, biology and evolution, with fossils, meteorites, experiments and interactive exhibits, and temporary exhibitions cover topics in science and technology. A planetarium offers shows at an extra charge, and dedicated areas for younger children, including Clik for ages around six to twelve and a play-and-discover space for the youngest, run hands-on sessions. Entry is low-cost by Barcelona standards, and children under sixteen enter free, which makes it one of the city's best-value family days.

Visiting well: allow at least two to three hours, and a half-day with children who join an activity or a planetarium show. Planetarium sessions and some children's activities have limited places and can sell out at weekends, so book or buy them as soon as you arrive. The museum is open every day of the week, closing only on a few holidays, and it stays open into the evening, which makes it a good late-afternoon option. Weekday mornings bring school groups; weekends bring local families. There is a restaurant and café on site, and the shop is good for science gifts.

Getting there is the one drawback: CosmoCaixa is in the Sant Gervasi area at the foot of Tibidabo, away from the metro. The easiest route is the FGC suburban train from Plaça de Catalunya to Avinguda Tibidabo, at the end of the line, followed by a fifteen-minute uphill walk or a short ride on a local bus. A taxi from the centre is straightforward. Because it is on the same side of the city, it combines with a trip up to Tibidabo, for a full family day of science in the morning and the amusement park and views in the afternoon, although the park's limited opening days need checking first.

Who it suits: families with children of any age are the obvious audience, and the hands-on approach means toddlers and teenagers both find things to do. Adults with an interest in natural history or science will also enjoy it, particularly the Flooded Forest and the Geological Wall, which are among the most memorable museum displays in Spain. For travellers on a budget, few attractions in Barcelona offer so much for such a modest ticket price, and it is an ideal escape from heat, rain or crowds in the old city. Honest caveat: like most science museums, it is at its best for curious visitors who engage with the exhibits rather than skim them, and travellers with only a couple of days in Barcelona and no children will usually prioritise the Gaudí sights and the old city instead.