Museu d'Història de Catalunya

With exhibits spanning from the Lower Paleolithic era right up to Jordi Pujol's proclamation as President of the Generalitat in 1980, the Catalan History Museum offers a virtual chronology of the region's past. There are two floors of text, film, animated models and reproductions of everything from a medieval shoemaker's shop to a 1960s bar. Hands-on activities, such as trying to lift a knight's armour or irrigating lettuces with a Moorish water wheel, add a little pzazz to the rather dry early history; to exit the exhibition, visitors walk over a huge 3-D map of Catalonia. Every section has a decent introduction in English; the reception desk can offer in-depth English-language museum guides free of charge, and the English website is also very complete. Excellent temporary exhibitions typically examine recent aspects of regional politics and history while the huge rooftop café terrace has unbeatable views over the city and marina.