Visit one of Barcelona’s most authentic museums, the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum.
The Amsterdam and Barcelona based Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum is one of the world’s oldest and most important cannabis museums.
It has welcomed more than two million visitors since it was opened in 1987. The museum’s unique collection explores and introduces visitors to the super versatile cannabis plant.
Marihuana museum in Barcelona: changing the world’s perception on cannabis
In 1987, entrepreneur Ben Dronkers opened the Cannabis Info Museum in Amsterdam’s red-light district with his friend Ed Rosenthal. Their aim was to share their own collection of cannabis with the public and also to celebrate their passion for the plant. According to the Dutch Minister of Justice, the museum was promoting the illegal activity of smoking and the authorities closed the museum down right after the opening day. However, the founders successfully challenged the decision and it was allowed to reopen the day after the closure. The museum was later renamed the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum. The museum has remained open ever since.
We aim to improve understanding about this exceptional plant by delving into its past, present and future.
Museum founder Ben Dronkers
Since the opening, the collection of the museum has grown to more than 9,000 pieces. Much of the exhibited pieces were collected by the founder himself during his travels around the world.
HEMP Gallery
In 2009, the museum was expanded with another building in Amsterdam, the Hemp Gallery. The collection of the Hemp Gallery is dedicated to the history of the plant and its diverse use worldwide such as in the paper, textile, food, chemical, art and fashion industries.
In 2012, the two sites museum in Amsterdam were renovated. The reopening ceremony was held by Hedy d’Ancona, the former Dutch Minister for Health, Welfare and Culture. This shows how much has changed since the 80s. In her speech, the former minister praised the museum and spoke of the passion of the founders which was absolutely needed to create such special cultural institution.
Cannabis palace
In the same year of the renovation of the museum buildings, a new site was opened outside of the Netherlands, in Barcelona. The opening ceremony in Barcelona was a great success as two important guests opened the new museum, Sir Richard Branson founder of the Virgin Group and Josep Fericgla cultural anthropologist. The museum is located in Palau Mornau, Manuel Raspall’s impressive modernist palace, in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.
Pictures on a museum tour
These pictures were taken by a museum visitor. The museum not only shows the enjoyment aspects of cannabis, but also its industrial use and its importance in modern pop culture.
The pictures were taken by Tiburi Janosi Mozes.
The pieces exhibited in Barcelona cover all aspects of cannabis use. The museum can be considered a cultural, educational and a scientific institution.
Visit the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum!
In addition to the main sites of Barcelona, you should visit this wonderful museum. It is located at Carrer Ample 35. You can buy your tickets online at the museum’s website. You won’t regret your decision!