Granollers Museum of Natural Sciences

Granollers Museum of Natural Sciences sits in Granollers, a town in the Barcelona province of Catalonia, and works as a hub for studying the natural world of the surrounding Vallès Oriental region.

What does the museum actually cover?

Rather than sticking to a single theme, the museum spans several scientific fields at once: palaeontology, geology, botany, meteorology, and, most prominently, zoology. That breadth turns it into more of a working research and education centre than a conventional display-case museum, with real ties to conservation work happening across the region.

The museum belongs to the Barcelona Provincial Council Local Museum Network, linking it into a wider system of municipal cultural institutions across the province.

What other institutions operate from here?

This is where the museum gets more interesting than a standard visit — it doubles as headquarters for several regional science programmes:

• Montseny Natural Park Documentation Centre — the museum serves as the documentation hub for one of Catalonia's most significant protected natural areas.
• Catalan Butterfly Monitoring Scheme — a long-running, region-wide project tracking butterfly populations, coordinated from the museum.
• Granollers Meteorological Station — run by the museum, feeding climate data directly into its broader scientific work.
• Can Cabanyes Environmental Education Centre — an education centre managed by the museum, focused on hands-on, outdoor learning about the natural environment.

Who should visit?

Because it combines exhibitions with active scientific documentation and field programmes, the museum works well both for families looking for an accessible introduction to natural science and for visitors specifically curious about the region's ecology — the flora, fauna, and climate of Vallès Oriental and the nearby Montseny massif. It also makes a sensible stop before heading into Montseny Natural Park itself, since a visit here fills in the ecological context you won't get from the trails alone.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the museum located? In Granollers, a town in the Barcelona province, within the Vallès Oriental region of Catalonia.

Is it just an exhibition space? No — alongside its displays, the museum runs active research and documentation work, including a Catalonia-wide butterfly monitoring programme and ongoing meteorological measurements.

What is the Can Cabanyes Environmental Education Centre? It's an education centre operated by the museum, designed for learning about the natural environment out in the field rather than only through exhibits.

Is it worth pairing a visit with a trip to Montseny Natural Park? Yes — since the museum hosts that park's Documentation Centre, it's a good place to get oriented on the region's natural history before heading out to Montseny's trails.