The MACBA houses important works of international artists in changing exhibitions. The best known are likely to be Tàpies, Fontana, Saura and Klee. Focus is set on the second half of the 20th Century. Since the exhibitions every 3-6 months change and it is worth being informed about the current exhibitions before a visit.

In MACBA mainly special exhibitions named artists - sculptors, painters, and filmmakers - will take place. But the MACBA also invite to join. So, regular workshops, conferences, film projects, audiovisual performances take place. Its origins the MACBA had in 1959, as the art critic Alexandre Cirici Pellicer suggested the opening of a museum for contemporary art. Together with Cesáreo Rodriguez Aguilera, he contributed the first works of art. The - clearly politically motivated - exhibition "Art and Peace" was shown 1963, which showed the two art lovers also the limits of political provocation in times of Franco's dictatorship. Their cooperation had ended.

In 1985 seized the then Minister of Culture of Catalonia, Joan Rigol, the idea of a museum for contemporary art again. In 1986, the preparations were stopped by a new city council. The Casa de la Caritat was  the building constituting the museum in Barcelona. In 1987, the MACBA Foundation, in 1988 then a consortium of city government, the Generalitat and MACBA Foundation, which ultimately ordered the construction. In 1995, then the Museum of Contemporary Art was given to the public.

The American architect Richard Meier-designed a somewhat cool-looking building since its opening to mixed reactions today by visitors. The sobriety is reinforced by the contrast to the gloomy partly acting District Raval.