Barcelona residents and visitors will be able to visit a range of museums and cultural sites free of charge on Thursday 24 September, the day of La Mercè, the city's main annual festival.

The open days will give the public access to normally ticketed cultural venues as part of the festival programme. Betevé, which published its updated guide on Monday 14 September, reports that the Sagrada Família will offer 20,000 free tickets for La Mercè.

Timed entry and booking requirements

Several venues have published opening times for 24 September, while capacity rules differ between sites. Visitors should check requirements before travelling, particularly where an advance reservation is specified.

  • CCCB, Barcelona's Centre of Contemporary Culture, will open from 10:00 to 20:00.
  • Museu Tàpies will open from 10:00 to 19:00 and will hold a guided visit at 17:30. Places are limited and registration will be taken at the museum on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Museu Olímpic i de l'Esport Joan Antoni Samaranch will open from 10:00 to 14:30.
  • Museu de la Música will open from 10:00 to 21:00.
  • Llotja de Mar will open from 11:00 to 17:00 without prior registration.
  • Palau Güell will open from 10:00 to 20:00, with final admission at 19:00. Reservations will be required through its website four days before the visit.
  • The Mies van der Rohe Pavilion will open from 10:00 to 20:00.

Historic sites also included

The list also includes the Monestir de Pedralbes, CosmoCaixa, Castell de Montjuïc and the Tibidabo amusement park's panoramic area.

Visitors will also be able to choose from several sites run by the Museum of Barcelona History, known as MUHBA: Turó de la Rovira, Plaça del Rei, El Call, Vil·la Joana, Domus de Sant Honorat, El Born and the Temple of Augustus.

Betevé says its La Mercè open-days listing will be updated with dates and times. People planning a visit should check the relevant venue's entry arrangements before setting off, as opening hours and booking rules are not the same across the programme.

Reported by beteve.cat, macba.cat, mesto-barcelona.cz, irbarcelona.com, betevé.