Catalonia History Museum, Barcelona

Created in order to preserve, exhibit and disseminate the history of Catalonia, it's located in an old warehouse in the port, dating from 1900 and renovated in 1996 to house this museum. It's a dynamic, interactive and contemporary cultural center where history is brought to life through artifacts, documents, historical re-creations, film, video, sound and computer programs. Children will love the room with a topographic model of Catalonia under their feet. There are regular temporary exhibitions, an historical archive, an audiovisual library, a conventional library and an educational department. The cafe offers wonderful views over the port and the shop sells books and souvenirs. On Wednesday nights in summer, you can come on a guided tour that ends up with some typical Catalan hospitality - coca (flat sponge cake) and cremat (a hot drink that contains rum, coffee, lemon peel and sugar) on the terrace.