Baroness Carmen Thyssen has signalled a new spirit of flexibility in her ambitious bid to open a major new museum in Barcelona. She is now open to altering the building’s controversial architectural plans to secure city approval. With a target opening date in the second half of 2028, the art collector hopes to launch the new cultural institution with a blockbuster exhibition featuring masterpieces from her collection, including Paul Gauguin’s celebrated painting, ‘Mata Mua’.
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This project, a collaboration with investment firm Stoneweg, aims to transform the historic former Comèdia cinema on the prestigious Passeig de Gràcia. Located in the Palau Marcet, the building will become a world-class exhibition space. However, public and political debate over the building’s proposed expansion has complicated its path to realisation.
A Project of Legacy and Controversy
The museum’s initial designs, revealed last year, drew sharp criticism. They proposed two large cubic volumes atop the protected 19th-century building. Subsequently, in response to opposition, architectural firms OUA and Casper Mueller Kneer Architects submitted a revised, more stylised design in early February.
Technicians at the Barcelona City Council are now examining this latest proposal. Promoters hope a consensus can lead to a plenary vote as soon as late March. Speaking to El Periódico, Baroness Thyssen, who spent her childhood in Barcelona, stressed her willingness to cooperate. “We are still refining the project, it’s not completely finished yet, and I think we will make it better and better,” she said. “I want it to adapt to the city and its surroundings.”
The Baroness acknowledged the council initially received the plans “with a bit of reluctance,” but she framed the feedback as a chance for improvement. “I thank the Barcelona City Council for advising, as it should, so that we are all very happy with the project when it is fully defined,” she stated. Since the ruling PSC party holds a minority in the city council, the project needs broader political support to move forward. While Junts, PP, and Vox gave preliminary backing last summer, BComú and ERC have opposed it.
In a direct appeal for collaboration, the Baroness has extended an open invitation for input from all political parties. “I am delighted that they show interest, that they advise us and give us their opinion… they can even send me written notes of what they would like!” she remarked. “Truly, I am open to everything.”
An Ambitious Vision for 2028
If the project secures municipal approval, construction will become the focus, with the goal of a “first-rate” inauguration in 2028. The Baroness revealed her desire to temporarily bring key works from the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid to Barcelona for the opening. Chief among them is Gauguin’s Tahitian masterpiece, Mata Mua (In Olden Times).
“I am eager for ‘Mata Mua’ to be at the opening of the Thyssen in Barcelona,” she told El Periódico. The museum’s permanent collection will champion Catalan modernism, featuring artists like Ramon Casas and Santiago Rusiñol, alongside a programme of major international temporary exhibitions. Juan Manuel Sevillano, managing director at Stoneweg and former manager of the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, described the project’s ambition bluntly: “We are operating in the Champions League.”
Shaping the Visitor Experience
While the historic facade and roof of the Comèdia will be preserved, the Baroness confirmed a complete transformation of the cinema’s interior, which is in poor condition. “The cinema has already had its time,” she explained, noting the new space will be more versatile for exhibitions. Additionally, a new 450-seat auditorium forms part of the plan.
The Baroness wants the institution to be a welcoming space for all. Thus, she wants the museum’s restaurant to be “accessible to the general public,” rather than an exclusive luxury venue. The museum will also feature a high-quality art bookshop. Finally, in a nod to local identity, she expressed a strong preference for the museum’s future leader. “The museum is Catalan. I would like the director to be a Catalan,” she affirmed. “Someone with experience and cachet, but from here.”
