FC Barcelona Museum tickets, information, and curiosities

FC Barcelona Museum in Barcelona, a must-visit for every football fan.

The FC Barcelona Museum is dedicated to the football club FC Barcelona from Catalonia, famously known as FC Barça. It is one of the most renowned football clubs in the world, repeatedly selected by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics as the best football club of all time.

If you are a fan or enthusiast of football and would like to gain more information about this legendary club, you should definitely visit the FC Barcelona Museum, located in the Les Corts district of Barcelona. It is part of the Camp Nou stadium, which is one of the largest football stadiums in the world.

FC Barcelona football team history and information

The history of the football club FC Barcelona dates back to the end of the 19th century. In November 1899, the precursor of today’s FCB, the Football Club Barcelona, was founded. The founder and visionary behind the club was the Swiss Hans Gamper, a great lover and fan of football. One evening, he gathered a group of friends, and together, they discussed the details of establishing their club and football team. Subsequently, they signed the founding document and allocated roles within the new institution. The first president of the club was the Englishman Walter Wild, thanks to whom the club still bears its English name.

During the famous night, the club colours and the appearance of the team’s future uniforms were also chosen. Initially, FC Barcelona’s shirts were half blue and claret. Unfortunately, the reasons for selecting such a colour combination were not recorded, and to this day, it is unknown why this particular choice was made. One club legend suggests that these colours were inspired by the hues worn by the English rugby team at the Merchant Taylors school, attended by English members of the newly established Football Club Barcelona.

At the next board meeting, the emblem of the new team was devised, and a membership fee to sustain the club was established. Allegedly, after settling all the details concerning club affairs, the participants of the meeting moved to one of the pubs in Barcelona. Legends about this event still circulate in the city to this day.

The first match of FC Barcelona and the beginnings of power

The newly formed team played its first match just 8 days after the club was founded. The match took place on the hastily prepared field of the Velodromo de la Bonanova stadium. Essentially, it was a simple field with wooden goals made from boards.

The opponents of the Spaniards were the English, who won the encounter 1-0. The match was so intense and interesting that a large Catalan newspaper wrote a substantial report on it. Shortly thereafter, the FC Barcelona team played another, this time victorious match, held on the same field, with the local team FC Catala as the opponents.

A year later, the fresh Catalan team participated in the Catalonia Derby, where they performed quite well. Subsequent matches were equally successful, and the team quickly advanced in the local league. In 1901, FC Barcelona participated in the Alfonso Macaya Cup tournament, finishing in second place. However, the following year, they won the tournament, repeating this success in the subsequent years. This victory remains a major celebration in Barcelona to this day, as it was the team’s first trophy in history.

In 1902, FC Barcelona played its first match outside Catalonia. The opponents for the boys from Barcelona were a young team, now known as Real Madrid, who lost the encounter. The Catalans came close to winning the King of Spain’s Cup, but the better and more experienced players from the Basque team Athletic Bilbao proved victorious.

The first match outside Spain took place in France, in Toulouse, where the Barcelona team defeated the local team 3-2. Although subsequent victories brought the team increasing popularity and renown, problems began to arise within its ranks, and the club started losing members. In response to the troubles, the then-captain of the team, Joan Gamper, resigned from his position and became the president of FC Barcelona. He dedicated a lot of time and effort to restore faith in the team.

The efforts were not in vain. In just a few years, FC Barcelona won all possible championships in Catalonia and then easily secured the King of Spain’s Cup. In 1909, the club acquired its first stadium, and sponsors began clamouring to be associated with it.

The subsequent years were a time of spectacular victories and the emergence of great players. In 1912, the famous Paulino Alcantara, a Filipino footballer, joined the club at the young age of 15. In his first played match, Paulino scored one of the most spectacular goals in the football history of that time. His career was as fascinating as his play, and his record of 357 goals remains unmatched, surpassed only by Messi to this day.

The FC Barcelona team navigated through the political tensions and economic challenges of the first half of the 20th century, consistently remaining at the top of Spanish football champions.

Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona

The Camp Nou Stadium, currently referred to by the team’s marketers as Spotify Camp Nou, is a football stadium owned by FC Barcelona since 1957. The stadium can accommodate over 99 thousand spectators, making it one of the largest football stadiums in the world.

Camp Nou is part of a vast sports complex belonging to FC Barcelona. In addition to the main stadium, the complex houses the Palau Blaugrana arena, where other teams affiliated with FC Barcelona play their matches. These include the basketball, handball, roller hockey, and indoor football sections. FC Barcelona also has a second sports complex, Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, where the senior football team trains.

The decision to build the stadium was made after it was determined that the previous facility, capable of accommodating 60 thousand spectators, was too small. The construction lasted two years, and in 1957, the first match was played on it. The opponent of FC Barcelona in this match was a Polish team from Warsaw.

The new stadium could initially hold 120 thousand fans, but for technical reasons and to ensure optimal safety, this number was reduced to 97 thousand.

The Barcelona stadium has hosted many sports events and football competitions that have already become legendary in the world of sports. Additionally, football matches during the 1992 Olympics were held there, and before that, it hosted games during the European and World Championships.

In 1982, the Polish Pope John Paul II conducted a famous mass in the stadium for over 120 thousand faithful, with the entire FC Barcelona team in attendance.

Due to the financial problems of the team in 2022, FC Barcelona temporarily sold the naming rights of the stadium to the Swedish service Spotify, which offers music and podcast streaming. In the same year, a decision was made to renovate the stadium. The work has already begun, and the stadium itself will be closed for a period of about 2 years.

Visiting the FC Barcelona Museum and the Spotify Camp Nou stadium

Museum FC Barcelona is a major attraction in the city that draws crowds of tourists from around the world. During our visit to Barcelona, we decided to check whether this place is worth the investment of both money and time.

It’s virtually impossible to miss the aforementioned museum; signs and directions are scattered throughout the city, guiding tourists to the place the locals take great pride in. Like them, I believe that when in Barcelona, one should visit it, even if you’re not a fan of the team or the sport of football itself.

We enjoy walking, so we reached the destination on foot, which turned out to be a good idea, as we visited several charming cafes along the way, housed in beautiful and well-maintained buildings. Barcelona is an excellent city for urban strolls, with plenty of greenery, and well-thought-out urban transportation routes.

The museum is located in a spacious building connected to the Camp Nou Stadium, currently named Spotify Camp Nou for marketing purposes. To enter the building, you need to visit the ticket counters and purchase a ticket. Here’s a tip: do it online to pay less and avoid, sometimes long, queues.

Being inside, the first thing you’ll see is a massive hall filled with trophies and other sports awards. Following the designated path through the museum, you’ll trace the entire history of the team, adorned with various trophies, ranging from the oldest to the most recent.

In the display cases in the middle of the hall, you’ll find documents, original photos of the players, and equipment used in the past during matches. Football boots catch the eye, initially featuring wooden blocks instead of studs attached to the sole. Even the footballs looked wholly different than they do today—clumsy, uneven, massive, and probably much heavier than contemporary ones.

In the subsequent rooms, thanks to a well-thought-out multimedia system, you can relive famous team duels, attend award ceremonies, or watch highlights of Barcelona’s most famous goals. The most precious trophies are at the end of the hall, including golden balls, World Cup trophies, golden studs, and many others.

Moving forward, you’ll encounter more multimedia displays, posters, and information about the most distinguished athletes who have appeared in the club over the years. There’s also a highly detailed model of the future stadium, which will be a true architectural marvel, encompassing offices, hotels, restaurants, and various other rooms with different purposes. The cost of the entire investment is expected to exceed one billion euros.

The next stage of the tour is entering the locker rooms and the spaces where teams prepare for the match on the field. Then, you can walk through the corridors until you reach the exit onto the stadium, just as the players do when entering the field.

The stadium is impressive, huge, although you can already see signs of ageing and the need for renovation. An interesting fact is that a stall has been set up on the pitch where you can buy a tuft of grass from the field or a piece of string from the goal net. All these souvenirs cost several euros, and it leaves the impression that someone is trying to get as much as possible from the tourists.

Finally, you can climb to the last level of the stadium, where the press boxes and VIP areas are located. VIPs there sip on expensive whisky and place private bets on which team will emerge as the winner.

The tour concludes with a visit to the shop where you can purchase an original FC Barcelona jersey, provided you’re willing to spend over 120 euros. Cream-coloured shoes are also available for purchase, and their price is equally staggering, much like the entire place.

In general, I view the visit to the FC Barcelona museum positively, although I wouldn’t come back for a second time. However, I’ve seen people strolling among the trophies in reverent awe, treating this place like the aisles of an ancient cathedral, regarding it as a temple to their gods. So, if football is your passion, this place will undoubtedly appeal to you.

FC Barcelona Museum and famous Barka players

Over the course of its more than 120-year existence, thousands of players have passed through the ranks of the club, with some proving to be not only good players but also outstanding individuals. Below, we have prepared a list of several exceptionally talented footballers associated with FC Barcelona.

• Andoni Zubizarreta — a legendary Spanish goalkeeper, born on October 23, 1961. A recipient of numerous awards, including the Golden Medal of the Royal Order for Merit in Sports.
• Andrés Iniesta — Born on May 11, 1984. A Spanish footballer playing as an attacking midfielder.
• Antoine Griezmann — born on March 21, 1991, in Mâcon, France. A footballer playing as a forward for FC Barcelona and the French national team.
• Carles Puyol — born on April 13, 1978. A renowned footballer decorated with numerous awards for his achievements in sports.
• Hristo Stoichkov — born on February 8, 1966. A Bulgarian footballer and football coach.
• Dani Alves — born on May 6, 1983. A Brazilian footballer with an extensive career.
• Deco — born on August 27, 1977. A Brazilian-Portuguese footballer. A recipient of many awards, including Officer of the Order of Prince Henry. Due to his on-field accomplishments, he was nicknamed “Magico.”
• Diego Armando Maradona — born in 1960 in Lanus, Argentina. Regarded as one of the greatest footballers in the history of the sport. Chosen as the FIFA Player of the Century.
• Gerard Piqué — born on February 2, 1987. A Spanish footballer playing as a defender, associated with FC Barcelona for generations, as his grandfather, Amador Bernabeu was once one of the club’s vice-presidents. Currently, he is more famous off the field for his past relationship with Shakira.
• Hector Bellerin — Born on March 19, 1995. Hector is considered the most charismatic figure in Spanish football and is also an excellent player. He started his football journey with FC Barcelona at the age of eight.
• Ivan Rakitić — born on March 10, 1988. A Croatian footballer playing as a midfielder.
• Javier Mascherano — born on June 8, 1984. An Argentine footballer also known by the nickname El Jefe.
• Luis Enrique — born on May 8, 1970. A Spanish footballer and football coach, included in the prestigious list of the hundred greatest players of all time.
• Luís Figo — born on November 4, 1972. A highly distinguished Portuguese footballer, recipient of awards such as Footballer of the Year, FIFA 100, and Officer of the Order of Prince Henry.
• Marcos Alonso — born on December 28, 1990, a Spanish footballer considered the best wing-back in Europe.
• Robert Lewandowski — Polish footballer, born in Warsaw in 1988. Apart from numerous awards and trophies, Robert is also in the Guinness World Records for scoring 5 goals in 9 minutes during a match between Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg.
• Romário — born on January 29, 1966. An outstanding and highly distinguished Brazilian footballer, honoured with awards such as L’Équipe Champion of Champions, FIFA Player of the Year, and World Cup Golden Ball.
• Ronaldinho — born on March 21, 1980. A Brazilian footballer considered one of the outstanding players of Brazil.
• Zlatan Ibrahimović — born on October 3, 1981, a well-known Swedish footballer playing as a forward.

The above list is a purely subjective choice and could go on forever. If you think another player should be included, be sure to let us know.

FC Barcelona Museum and club trophies

Football Club Barcelona is one of the most decorated football clubs in the world, as evidenced by the vast number of trophies displayed in the cabinets of the Barcelona museum. FC Barcelona has won the UEFA Champions League five times (twice in London, Paris, Rome, and Berlin) and has also triumphed three times in the Club World Cup.

Below, I will list only a portion of the trophies you will see when visiting the team’s museum in Barcelona.

• UEFA Champions League — Number of trophies 5.
• Club World Cup — Number of trophies 3.
• Cup Winners’ Cup — Number of trophies 4.
• UEFA Super Cup — Number of trophies 5.
• Spanish League Championship — Number of trophies 26.
• Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) — Number of trophies 31.
• Spanish Super Cup — Number of trophies 14.
• Catalan League Championship — Number of trophies 23.
• Catalonia Cup — Number of trophies 8.

These are, of course, not all the trophies won by the Catalan team. In addition to those mentioned above, FC Barcelona has won numerous Pyrenees Cup, Latin Cup, Fairs Cup, and many more.

FC Barcelona Museum curiosities and information

• The idea behind FC Barcelona was conceived by a young Swiss who persuaded his friends to collaborate.
• The address of FC Barcelona is: Avenida Arístides Maillol, 08028-Barcelona.
• FC Barcelona is the only football club in the world to have won the treble consecutively, meaning they won all competitions they participated in during a season.
• The stadium belonging to FC Barcelona was built in 1957.
• The first match played at the stadium was a meeting between FC Barcelona and a team from Warsaw (which Barcelona lost 4-2).
• The motto of FC Barcelona is: Més que un club, which means More than a club.
• The fan club of FC Barcelona consists of over 140,000 fans worldwide.
• There are well over 1,000 fan clubs of the Barcelona team.
• In the 2015 season, the team wore new jerseys with horizontal stripes for the first time in history.
• The first logo on FC Barcelona jerseys appeared only in 2006 and represented the UNICEF foundation.
• The most famous player of FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi, signed his first contract with the club on a napkin in a restaurant.
• Barça is the club with the most wins in the Ballon d’Or poll, the most prestigious award given to players. Nearly half of these trophies were awarded to Lionel Messi.
• The eternal rival of FC Barcelona is the Real Madrid team.
• Barça is the only participant in European cups from their inception, which is over 50 years.
• Due to political and independence-driven reasons in Catalonia, no Spanish matches take place at the Barcelona stadium.
• On the Get Ready For Adventure website, you will find many other interesting articles about attractions in Spain.

Polish version