What is the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Barcelona? It is a museum devoted to the cultural, industrial and botanical history of hemp and cannabis, housed in the Palau Mornau on Carrer Ample, in the lower part of the Gothic Quarter. It opened in 2012 as the Barcelona counterpart of the museum of the same name in Amsterdam. For anyone interested in the subject beyond consumption, it is one of the most interesting cultural stops in the old town.
The building: Palau Mornau
The museum occupies a sixteenth-century palace that was refurbished in 1908 by the architect Manuel Raspall in the Modernista style, the Catalan version of Art Nouveau. The 2012 restoration recovered stained glass, woodwork and ironwork, so part of the visit is simply the building itself: a good example of how Barcelona’s old houses were updated at the height of Modernisme.
Its origins
The museum grew out of the collection of Ben Dronkers, who founded the original Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Amsterdam. The Barcelona venue was created to show part of that collection, which the museum describes as running into thousands of objects, in a second European city with a strong connection to cannabis culture.
What you will see
- Hemp as an industrial plant: fibre, rope, textiles and paper, and the role hemp played in shipping and trade for centuries.
- Art and illustration: paintings, prints and photographs in which cannabis appears, from historical pieces to modern work.
- Botany and breeding: the museum has presented exhibitions on how cannabis varieties evolved from traditional landraces to modern hybrids.
- Living plants: in the growing season, hemp plants can be seen on the building’s balconies.
Exhibitions change over time, so the exact content of your visit will depend on the current programme.
Practical information
The museum is at Carrer Ample 35, a short walk from the waterfront and within easy reach of the Drassanes (L3) and Jaume I (L4) metro stations. From Carrer de Freixures it is roughly a fifteen-minute walk across the Gothic Quarter. Opening hours, ticket prices and temporary closures change, so check the museum’s official website before you go rather than relying on third-party listings.
It fits well into a wider walk through the old town. Our guides to the Gothic Quarter area and an afternoon in El Born cover the neighbouring streets, and the history of cannabis in Spain gives useful context before a visit.
Frequently asked questions
1. Where is the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Barcelona?
At Carrer Ample 35, in the Palau Mornau, in the lower Gothic Quarter.
2. Is it related to the Amsterdam museum?
Yes. It was opened in 2012 as the Barcelona venue of the museum founded in Amsterdam by Ben Dronkers.
3. Is it a place to consume cannabis?
No. It is a museum about the history and culture of hemp and cannabis.
4. Where can I find opening hours and prices?
On the museum’s official website, which is the most reliable and up-to-date source.
In short, the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum Barcelona is a cultural visit in a restored Modernista palace, focused on the long history of hemp and cannabis, and an easy addition to a walk through the old town. Kush Weed Coffeeshop is a private association of adults on Carrer de Freixures, in the Santa Caterina area, with access restricted to registered members on prior application and identification. If you would like to know how the membership application works, get in touch and we will explain it.