Visiting White Rabbit Barcelona
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE OFF MUSEUM BARCELONA
Last weekend I took my daughter to the new White Rabbit Barcelona Off Museum. It is one of the latest attractions opened in the city, and I was curious to know what it was about. And it was fun! So I wanted to share my experience with you! The White Rabbit is not the average “fun fair museum” with optical illusions and AI but little content. It is definitely a fun place, but it will help you see Barcelona from a different light: our unique traditions, many of which you can only experience during very specific times of the year.
The museum consists in 10 installations by local and international artists, and it includes graffiti, sculpture, video art, mechatronic installations, AI… Playful and surprising, it’s a place where tradition, art and technology meet. As a local, I was very pleased to see represented icons of my culture in a respectful and artistic way that went beyond cheese folklore and stereotypes. And I had fun with all their immersive and interactive opportunities that we encountered.
But as a person that works creating personalized experiences (my Barcelona private tours), I was also fascinated to see with how much care and attention to detail this museum has been created. Nothing is bland, everything is tasteful and well thought-out, and there’s small surprises awaiting you that make you feel welcome and taken care of. So different from the usual coldness of art museums! You have to see for yourself!
Planning your visit to the Off-Museum
Who is the White Rabbit Off-Museum Barcelona for?
I’m not gonna lie: the White Rabbit Barcelona Museum is not one of the city must-sees (you have the Sagrada Familia and the Gothic Quarter for that). But it makes a lovely addition to the plans of most people visiting Barcelona for more than one day. I recommend it for:
- Families with kids and teens. For the best experience the museum recommends age 8 and up.
- People interested in local traditions
- Fans of virtual reality and AI-generated art
- Design and contemporary art lovers
- Travelers that need ideas for things to do when it rains in Barcelona.
- Repeat visitors, locals and expats living in Barcelona and looking for something different to do
- Tourists with an hour to spare in the Passeig de Gracia area
- And… you! Because, why not?
How to get to Barcelona White Rabbit
The White Rabbit Barcelona Off Museum is open daily from 10AM to 10PM. The visit lasts around 1 hour.
ADDRESS: 55, Passeig de Gracia (between Valencia and Arago streets)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Passeig de Gracia (L3 green, L4 yellow and L2 purple lines). The blue line is also within walking distance (Diagonal station). Get your public transportation pass here >>
CLOSEST HOP-ON HOP-OFF BUS STOP: The one in front of Casa Batllo. Get your tourist bus pass here >>
CLOSEST TAXI STOP: Arago st, on the corner with Passeig de Gracia.
CLOSEST PARKING LOT: Saba Bamsa
Spoiler: the museum room by room
1
The Entrance - Petó (Kiss)
Barcelona is a street art destination, with international artists and local rising stars surprising you with their creations at every corner. So it's not a surprise that the visit to White Rabbit Barcelona starts with a piece by one of them: TVBoy, an Italian living in Barcelona and known for his designs with high political message. In 2017 "El Clásico", a soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid full of rivalry was celebrated precisely one of the most important Catalan festivals: the Day of Saint George.
That day, Catalan men buy red roses for their women, and women buy books for their men. TVBoy created a piece that represented the top players of each soccer team, Messi and Ronaldo, kissing. This is the piece of art that has inspired the one that receives you at the entrance of the museum. The mural also includes a book and a rose.
From here you’ll go through a door shaped as a keyhole (a reference, of course, to the story of Alice in Wonderland that inspires the name of the museum) – or if you prefer, you can get to the next room through a chain curtain. In that next room you’ll find headsets with a recording explaining the concept of the museum. Don’t skip it: it’s not a boring audioguide, it’s actually fun!
2
Xivarri - Racket
3
Capgrossos - Big heads
Continuing with the parades theme, the Giants are often followed by Cap-Grossos, papier-maché oversized heads that represent local characters. In the next rooms you'll find some traditional ones, as well as several of them made in purpose for the museum, each of them with their own personality, name and a made-up story so you can connect with them the same way that locals connect with the Cap-Grossos of their own district or town.
4
Caganer - The Pooping Man
Have you heard of Caganers? It's an hilarious Catalan Christmas tradition! Caganers are figurines representing a farmer, crouching and... popping! Kids hide them in Nativities and they'll ask you to find it - kind of the Where is Wally books. In these rooms you'll find a golden sculpture by the artist Carles Piera, a collection of modern Caganers with faces of famous characters (from politicians to sportsmen, actors and singers), as well as a traditional Nativity so you too can play to find the caganer hidden on it.
5
L'Ou com Balla - The Dancing Egg
If it falls, a metal mesh concealed under the flower decoration will take it back to the water jet so the egg is pushed back up, in a never-ending dance. In this room with flower background you’ll find not one, but four dancing eggs. So if you are visiting Barcelona outside of Corpus Christi, that’s your only chance to see this fascinating tradition! The design of the space is by Enric Planas.
6
Farra - Unrestrained party
Until now, your walk through the White Rabbit Museum has still felt quite a lot like a museum, maybe one that doesn't display traditional art, but where the artwork was displayed in a traditional way at least. But in the second part of the visit you become the main character, and the artwork is there so you can create your own experience. In this room the Playmodes studio transports you to the dance room of one of the most famous Barcelona nightclubs - Razzmatazz. Put on the headphones to enter a silent disco session with the best DJs.
Don’t be shy and get on the stage to dance to the music. And while you dance, your moves will appear on the screen digitally mixed, repeated and combined to the music tempo. Interacting with it was so much fun! It was definitely my daughter’s favorite room.
7
Esclat - Burst
Enter now an immersive cube with glass and screen walls, ceilings and floors. Stand, or seat in one of the available puffs, or even lay on the floor and be surrounded by images inspired in the burst of colors of the Barcelona Modernism, the mosaic of the works of Antoni Gaudi, the mesmerizing stained glasses of the city churches and private buildings, and the movement and color of the water of the Magic Fountain. The audiovisual, created by OnionLab also includes references to the culture and traditions of Catalonia.
8
Enxaneta - Human Castles and Fire Runs
Put on your VR glasses and join a group of Castellers as they build a human castle, and see it from the sky the way the “enxaneta”, the smallest kid that crowns that castle, sees the crowd from above. Then enter a correfoc and run alongside fire monsters and devils with the bonus that you can’t get burnt! If you can’t attend a real event, this will be the closest thing you’ll find to being in one. Cool! The experience has been designed by Seeds XR.
9
Bocabadat - Dumbfounded
Scenic arts have always been closely linked to the Catalan Culture. And if there's a troupe that has been able to express the personality of Barcelona and Catalonia in their performances, that's the Fura dels Baus. Never heard of them? Discover in this room two of their most iconic moments: the show they crafted for the Innauguration Ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and the spectacular metal giant moved by dozens of castellers created to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000. The room includes a couple of interactive installations that remind you of a science museum.
Before proceeding to the next room, it’s time for a pit stop. Don’t need to use the bathroom yet? I don’t care, go anyway. Hopefully it’ll be occupied and you’ll have to wait… Because waiting for the toilet at the Off-Museum is fun! And no, I’m not going to make a spoiler here: you’ll see it when you are there.
10
FOC - Fire
Catalans celebrate the Summer Solstice with the festival of Saint John's Eve, and fire is the key element of this celebration, with its bonfires and fireworks. Vitamin Studio has decided to metaphorically take you into a firework taking you into a labyrinth of light curtains that make you feel lost but mesmerized by the constant transformation of its colors and intensity, just like flames and fireworks are never static. Find the exit to this small light maze to find the exit of the museum.
11
Exit through the gift shop...
And of course you’ll be made to exit through the gift shop! But fear not: it’s not one of so many. The gift shop of the Barcelona White Rabbit Museum is as unique as the museum is. You won’t find here cheese plastic souvenirs, but unique crafts and cool design items that make great presents or memories of your trip. You’ll also find a fun roulette that will give you original ideas for more things to do in Barcelona – the kind of suggestions a local would give you, not the average tourist traps!
And if you need a break to integrate everything you’ve seen and get ready for your next adventure, you’ll also find there a small cafe with barista quality coffee and gelato from one of the best gelato makers of Barcelona, Paralelo, famous for their unusual flavors. The perfect way to finish your visit!
Will you be visiting the White Rabbit Barcelona Off Museum?
Marta
Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.
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