Barcelona tours: CosmoCaixa, Barcelona's Modern Science Museum

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Visit the previous Barcelona Tour page: Antoni Gaudi's La Pedrera

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: The CosmoCaixa Sience Museum is housed in this recently restored 100 year old Modernist building. A new addition to this building can be seen in the glass covered annex in the background, the architects succeeded in fusing the old with the new. The CosmoCaixa Sience Museum is housed in this recently restored 100 year old Modernist building. A new addition to this building can be seen in the glass covered annex in the background, the architects succeeded in fusing the old with the new.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Children and adults will both enjoy such interactive lessons in physics as this one illustrating kinetic energy. Children and adults will both enjoy such interactive lessons in physics as this one illustrating kinetic energy.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Here you can see the large and spacious layout of the CosmoCaixa as well as some of its many interactive lessons. Here you can see the large and spacious layout of the CosmoCaixa as well as some of its many interactive lessons.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: It's impossible not to walk past these huge glass walls without staring into the green-blue water of the Flooded Forest. You never know what you're going to find! It's impossible not to walk past these huge glass walls without staring into the green-blue water of the Flooded Forest. You never know what you're going to find!

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Both father and son enjoy the magic world of the Flooded Forest. Both father and son enjoy the magic world of the Flooded Forest.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: A woman takes a moment to ponder the Flooded Forest from above. A woman takes a moment to ponder the Flooded Forest from above.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Although part of the CosmoCaixa, the Plaza of Science is open a public space open to everyone. Here you will find interactive features such as a sundial and a sound telescope. Although part of the CosmoCaixa, the Plaza of Science is a public space open to everyone. Here you will find interactive features such as a sundial and a sound telescope.

CosmoCaixa: Barcelona's Modern Science Museum

Images by Gaston Magrinat and Text by Valerie Collins. Click on any image for a larger version.

Barcelona's new modern and pioneering science museum, CosmoCaixa, is packed with fascinating stuff for kids and adults alike. Its mission is to make science interesting, comprehensible and fun, so it has lots of interactive exhibits to capture and hold your attention. The most fascinating of which is the Flooded Forest, an ambitious and incredible recreation of a section of Amazonian rainforest. Completely encased in glass walls, the Flooded Forest allows you to see this rare and vanishing ecosystem from all its perspectives, including underwater. Frogs, turtles, snakes, three meter long pirarucu fish... steamy heat and jungle smells... all can be seen living in perfect harmony in the Flooded Forest.

The old science museum, Spain's first interactive one, opened in 1981 and was housed in a former convent, a landmark modernista building perched at the top of the town, just above the upper ring road in the Collserola foothills. In order to maintain the splendour of the modernist building, the new museum has been built mostly underground. The generous use of glass provides an amazing amount of natural light to penetrate the interior of the CosmoCaixa. This can best be seen as one makes their way down the 5 story spiral walkway leading to the various levels of the CosmoCaixa. Suspended in mid air within the center of this winding walkway is the trunk of a giant Amazon tree, complete with its mass of woody roots spreading outwards in search of food and water.

You can enjoy the vista over the city from the Plaça de la Ciència, a public space donated to the city by the owners of the museum, Fundació 'la Caixa'. This plaza can be accessed from the museum cafeteria, and also from the neighbouring streets. It's spacious, sunny and dotted with interactive marvels, such as the litho phones, the huge sundial and the sound telescope.

Until October 2005 you have what is possibly the chance of a lifetime to see the Iguanodons, six dinosaurs on exhibit for the first time ever outside the Royal Institute of Natural Sciences of Brussels. Science shows, films, family activities, special programmes for seniors... Cosmocaixa is a fantastic experience and will surely become one of the must-sees on any Barcelona tour.

Words by Valerie Collins. Valerie Collins is a writer who has lived in Barcelona for many years.

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a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Descending this glass walled spiral walkway to the various levels of the CosmoCaixa Science Museum is an experience in and of itself. A massive tree trunk is suspended in mid air by steel cables, giving the illusion of weightlessness. Descending this glass walled spiral walkway to the various levels of the CosmoCaixa Science Museum is an experience in and of itself. A massive tree trunk is suspended in mid air by steel cables, giving the illusion of weightlessness.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: This young man discovers the effects of centrifugal force on physical objects as he turns the crank with enthusiasm. This young man discovers the effects of centrifugal force on physical objects as he turns the crank with enthusiasm.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Amazonian cutter ants doing what they do best, you guessed it, cutting leaves and transporting them back to their home. Amazonian cutter ants doing what they do best, you guessed it, cutting leaves and transporting them back to their home.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: The Flooded Forest is CosmoCaixa's most alluring and hipnotic attraction. It allows you to see a real Amazonian flooded forest from all perspectives: above ground and underwater. The Flooded Forest is CosmoCaixa's most alluring and hipnotic attraction. It allows you to see a real Amazonian flooded forest from all perspectives: above ground and underwater.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Up close and personal! I can’t tell if this fish is smiling at me or not, what do you think? Up close and personal! I can’t tell if this fish is smiling at me or not, what do you think?

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: The water is too much of a temptation for this you girl as she tests it out. The water is too much of a temptation for this you girl as she tests it out.

a barcelona picture of cosmocaixa. Text reads: Children playing in the Plaza of Science. Children playing in the Plaza of Science.