Abelló Museum

The Abelló Museum is a municipal art museum in Mollet del Vallès, a town in the Vallès Oriental region roughly 20 kilometers north of Barcelona. It is dedicated to the work and legacy of painter and collector Joan Abelló, one of the town's most celebrated artists.

How do you get there?

Mollet del Vallès sits right on Barcelona's doorstep, making the trip straightforward — the town is well served by regional rail lines and roads connecting it to the metropolitan area. The museum itself is located in the town center, so it works equally well as a quick side trip from Barcelona or as a stop while exploring the wider Vallès Oriental region.

What will you see?

The heart of the collection comes from Joan Abelló himself, who in 1996 donated his artistic output and personal collection to the town, an act that led to the creation of the Joan Abelló Foundation, an independent body operating under the Mollet del Vallès Town Council. That donation became the foundation on which the museum was built, opening its doors to visitors on 29 March 1999.

The building housing the museum has its own story to tell. It was originally constructed in 1908 in the Art Nouveau style — known locally as modernisme — though today only the façade of that original structure survives. The result is a striking contrast: a historic, ornamented street front wrapped around a fully modern museum interior, giving the building a distinctive presence within the town.

Inside, visitors can follow the arc of Abelló's artistic career and the broader creative context surrounding it. Beyond housing the permanent collection, the museum functions as a cultural hub promoting art from the local region. Fans of Catalan Art Nouveau architecture will find the preserved façade itself worth a stop, independent of what's on display inside.

When should you visit?

As an indoor, human-scale museum, it can be visited comfortably at any time of year regardless of weather. That said, like many smaller cultural institutions in Catalonia, opening hours may be limited on certain days of the week and around local holidays, so it's worth checking the current schedule before setting out. A visit pairs naturally with a walk through central Mollet del Vallès or a day trip that also takes in Barcelona.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Abelló Museum? It's a municipal art museum in Mollet del Vallès dedicated to the work and collection of painter Joan Abelló, opened to the public in 1999.

Where does the museum's collection come from? The collection stems from a donation by Joan Abelló himself, who gave his artworks and personal collection to the town in 1996, leading to the creation of the Joan Abelló Foundation.

Is the museum building historic? The building dates from 1908 and was built in the Art Nouveau style, though only its original façade survives — the interior has been adapted to serve as the museum space.

How do you reach Mollet del Vallès from Barcelona? The town lies about 20 kilometers north of Barcelona and is well connected by regional trains and roads, putting it within an easy commute of a few dozen minutes.