On June 10, 1975, in a privileged space in Montjuïc overlooking all of Barcelona, the Fundació Miró opened its doors. A totally revolutionary art center, not only for its interior, with more than 104,000 works by one of the most recognized and international Catalan artists, but also for its exterior, a building designed by the architect Josep Lluís Sert, one of the promoters of rationalism and avant-garde architecture in Catalonia. Revolutionary, moreover, because of the context in which it was inaugurated, a few months before Franco's death. After half a century of trajectory, the museum celebrates its 50th anniversary by reclaiming this innovative and transversal character of Miró himself but also of his foundation.
"The history of the Fundació is a history shared with democracy, as well as a history shared with the introduction and knowledge of contemporary art in Catalonia," emphasized the director of the art center Marko Daniel, who recalled that this year not only marks 50 years of the museum but also of Franco's death. The activities for this anniversary will begin with the inauguration of the exhibition La poesia tot just ha començat. 50 anys de la Miró on Wednesday, June 11, an exhibition that vindicates both its history and past, as well as its current relevance and its future mission. A multifaceted journey through its history, which can be visited until March 29, 2026, that includes typographic games and visual resources to reflect the "festive and transgressive" character of the artist and the institution.
The central event of this commemoration will arrive on Sunday, June 15, with a festive, free, and popular day. Following the idea of recreating the revolutionary origins of the museum, the day will seek to imitate the atmosphere that was experienced on the inaugural day 50 years ago when the artist decided that, instead of an institutional day ---thus avoiding having to invite the Francoist authorities---, he would celebrate a popular opening.
This popular character will be recreated half a century later, with castellers, family workshops led by illustrators Pilarín Bayés and Marta Altés, storytelling, screenings, performances, and a concert by guitarist Yerai Cortés, in collaboration with the Sónar festival on the museum's terrace. In addition, coinciding with the summer solstice, the day will start very early, at six in the morning, to recreate the building as conceived by its creator, architect Josep Lluís Sert, taking advantage of natural light through skylights and large windows, and without the use of light bulbs or artificial light.
Although for conservation reasons of the artworks these windows and curtains are normally closed, the foundation wants to return, even if only for four hours, to its original state, drawing back curtains and opening skylights to observe the building and Miró's works in their optimal state, at least architecturally speaking. Thus, from six to ten in the morning, a guided tour will be offered by architects from El Globus Vermell, who will take a tour of the unique characteristics of this space, although there will also be an option to visit freely.
Another highlight of the celebration will arrive in autumn, when the exhibition Miró and the United States will open, which can be seen from October 10 to February 22, 2026. An exhibition that will review the relationship of the Catalan painter with American artists, as well as their mutual influences, based on 160 works by forty recognized artists of North American abstract painting, such as Jackson Pollock or Mark Rothko. The exhibition will also serve to recognize the role of women painters such as Louise Bourgeois, Helen Frankenthaler, Lee Krasner, or Alice Trumbull. After filling the walls of the Catalan museum, the exhibition will travel to The Phillips Collection, in Washington, where it can be visited until July.
Within the framework of the 50th birthday, and following Sert's architectural project, the museum will also reopen a space that was previously inaccessible, the Jardí dels Xiprers. Likewise, it will also reinvent the permanent collection, with a new arrangement that seeks the purpose that visitors can approach the artist's work from his creative processes. "This new presentation, which will take into account the spaces designed by Josep Lluís Sert, will combine finished work with working materials provided by Miró," its director highlighted.