CosmoCaixa Museum of Science

The story

The museum occupies a Modernista building from 1904–1909 by Josep Domènech i Estapà, joined to a major modern extension, and reopened in 2004 after renovations. It spans more than 30,000 square metres over several floors, with themes ranging from planets, climate change and natural phenomena to dinosaurs, evolution and the Paleolithic. The exhibits invite pressing, touching and testing the principles of Newton, Archimedes and Venturi, and a planetarium sits on a lower level. The Bosc Inundat, or Flooded Forest, is the centrepiece: 1,000 square metres of Amazonian ecosystem under glass, with tall trees, falling rain, a pond of large fish and tropical birds overhead. A huge glass panel looks in, or a path leads through the humid interior. There is also a terrace, a café, a self-service restaurant and a gift shop.