Barcelona’s Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum: fascinating exhibitions in a superb modernist setting
When someone says “cannabis”, we bet there are a few things which spring to mind – Bob Marley, for one, joints, marijuana or haschish. The Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum is a great place to develop your knowledge and expand your vocabulary on the subject!
Just like its Dutch cousin, the Barcelona Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum presents the plant in all its different forms. There’s plenty to discover!
An unusual museum in an extraordinary setting
Fans of Catalan Art Nouveau: this one’s for you! The Barcelona Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum is housed in a modernist gem, the Palau Mornau. Set in the heart of the gothic quarter, the colourful, flowered glasswork on the façade will capture your attention from the street. Inside, each room has its own charming and elegant features, on the ceilings, floors and windows.
During the palace’s renovation and transformation into a cultural destination, elements relating to the museum’s main theme were subtly integrated into the décor: try to spot the cannabis leaves hiding amongst the building’s modernist features!
- Some visitors come mostly to see the building, rather than the exhibitions, and it’s easy to see why – the Palau Mornau is a listed monument and forms part of the Modernisme Route.
Barcelona’s Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum: surprising and educational
- If you think the museum is going to be focused on glorifying consumption of the plant, fear not – that’s far from being the case!
The museum invites visitors to deepen their knowledge of this complex plant and its many uses, not just limited to its well-known narcotic properties.
It also highlights the presence of cannabis throughout time and across different cultures, some of which welcomed it with open arms, whilst others rejected the plant wholesale.
We were able to learn about the uses of cannabis (or hemp) in the textile industry and in construction, the use of the drug by a circle of famous French writers, and the various theories linking cannabis and Popeye (the spinach may not be all it seems…)
Different zones of the Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum
The museum is organised into 8 different rooms, by theme, each covering a different aspect of the plant.
- The Botany Room: illustrations and photos of the plant, its anatomy and the different varieties of cannabis.
- The Masterpiece Room: paintings of the very first “coffee shops”, and a variety of devices designed for smoking the drug.
- The Industry Room: covers uses of hemp, i.e. the plant fibre, which has an impressive variety of uses.
- The History Room: the importance of cannabis at different times and in different religions.
- The Culture Room: art, music, films and even cartoons, showing the presence of cannabis in various cultural forms, in more or less obvious ways.
- The Prohibition/Anti-Prohibition Room: covers different campaigns for the legalisation or prohibition of cannabis consumption.
- The Medical Room: the many uses of cannabis in medecine, from past to present.
The richness and versatility of the cannabis plant are truly impressive, and some of its uses are not well-known by the general public.
The Barcelona Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum: Useful Information
- You’ll receive a booklet with your ticket which explains the elements present in each room. It’s clear, interesting and concise, and well worth reading!
- An English-language audio guide is planned for the near future.
- If you’re looking for a fun way to remember your visit, how about a free photo set against the background of a cannabis field?
- Public exhibitions covering contemporary culture in Barcelona and cannabis are held on the ground floor.
- Entry: €8.55 if you book online
- Hint: Groupon often has offers for the Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum, including 2-for-1 entry. Click here to take up the offer!
