A new interactive museum unveils Catalan Art-Nouveau architect Antoni Gaudí’s universe

Barcelona (ACN).- From Wednesday July 4^th, Barcelona will have a new museum devoted to the Catalan Art-Nouveau architect, Antoni Gaudí, who designed the Sagrada Família, La Pedrera, the Casa Batlló and the Parc Güell. The ‘Gaudí Experiència’ will unveil, in 9 different languages, the universe of this architectural genius, inspired by nature’s elements  including water, cypress trees and the Montserrat Mountain, near Barcelona. Interactive walls, models of Gaudí’s designs and a 4D documentary film will show models of some of Gaudí’s most impressive work as well as what inspired him and which techniques he developed. The new museum has been promoted by former audiovisual producers Toni Cruz and Josep Maria Mainat, and it is located next to the Park Güell.

From cypress trees, the Sagrada Família towers emerge; from Saint George’s dragon, Casa Batlló’s roof; La Pedrera is shaped according to the Montserrat Mountain; and water inspired Park Güell’s mosaics. These are some of the elements in the 4D documentary film shown at ‘Gaudí Experiència’. According to its promoters, it is “a magical trip” to explain what inspired Gaudí when designing some of Barcelona’s most characteristic buildings. The new exhibition centre has interactive virtual walls, formed  from touchscreens. 243 different images can be discovered, navigating through Gaudí’s life and creations. In addition, there is an impressive model of the 360-metre skyscraper Gaudí  designed in Manhattan: the Hotel Attraction, which was never built.

At the centre of the new museum, there is a 70-seat movie theatre where the 4D documentary film is screened every 20 minutes. It is a 4D movie as seats move with the movie, and there are wind and water real effects. “We didn’t want to show Gaudí’s life”, but “rigorous information” allows “imagination flow” and discovery of “how Gaudí worked and what inspired him” to design each of  his masterpieces. “We want to show it in an imaginative way, not through a classical documentary movie, but through a magical trip”, said Mainat, one of the museum’s promoters.

The exhibition “visits all Gaudí’s heritage”, said Toni Cruz, shown in different formats. The museum displays several models of Gaudí’s work including the Park Güell’s columns and the Hotel Attraction, the nine-tower skyscraper in Manhattan commanded by two American promoters in 1908. 100 people have worked to get the exhibition running, and  35 will work permanently in the new centre. Tickets will cost 9 euros for adults and in summertime it is open from 10am to 8 pm (in winter it closes at 6 pm). The museum has a shop, where visitors can buy items related to Catalan Modernism.