Hash Marihuana and Hemp Museum

The Hashish Marihuana and Hemp Museum, opened in 2012, offers fascinating insights into the history and diversity of cannabis use. The museum, housed in a beautiful medieval-style palace restored in the modernist style, is located in the historic district of Barri Gòtic. The Palau Mornau is just a few minutes' walk from the Columbus Statue. The unique exhibits show the historical use of hemp as well as current discussions on the topic and the future potential of the plant - all very exciting, informative and entertaining explained.

Our recommendation for the Hashish Marihuana and Hemp Museum

• With our Gothic Walking Tour you come very close to the Hash Museum
• The nearest bus stop of Bus Turístic is just 500 meters away
• Also on the Columbus monument you will find hints about the Canabis plant

The exhibition of the Hash and Hemp Museum

In the first room of the permanent exhibition, the differences between male and female cannabis plants and their effects are explained. It continues with original works from the 17th century by important painters such as David Teniers the Younger, Cornelis Decker and Herman Saftleven - the paintings show the consumption of hashish in those days. Particularly interesting is the next room, in which hemp is presented as a pure crop. Impressive, what was and is produced from the material: clothing, shoes, furniture, building materials, car parts ... It is now clear that cannabis offers more than an "intoxicating" experience.

Another focus of the exhibition is the combination of hashish consumption and religion as well as the importance of cannabis in music, film and literature. Then it may be speculated with a wink: Was Shakespeare perhaps "stoned" when writing some of his works? At least, during the excavations of his house, pipe bowls suitable for hashish smoking have been found... And what about Popeye? What did he smoke in his pipe if he did not eat spinach?

More serious is the next area, which is about the fight against drugs, which especially the Americans fought very boldly in the 70s. Also, the legalization of hashish in some countries comes up, as well as the effect and use of cannabis in medicine. If you like, you can round off your visit to the shop in the entrance area - and you'll be surprised once again how many products with and from hemp are available for purchase.

Extra tip: On the way back, if you come back to the Columbus statue, you should take a closer look at the pedestal. Two cannabis branches are growing from the center - which, incidentally, has only recently been discovered. What does Columbus have to do with cannabis? After visiting the museum you know it.

Foundation of the Hash Museum in Barcelona

Founder of the museum is the Dutch businessman and philanthropist Ben Dronkers, who runs another hemp museum in Amsterdam. The valuable artefacts of the collection he has brought back from traveling around the world. His goal: to make museum visitors aware of the importance and numerous uses of cannabis.

Why visit the Hash and Hemp Museum is worthwhile

The museum gives a differentiated view of the hemp plant. Thus, in addition to its centuries of use as a drug, it also shows its use as a medicine and its many other, very practical uses, such as in vehicle construction or in the textile industry. You will also learn a lot about the history of the diverse plant, how it became from the everyday drug to the massively (and unsuccessfully) fought illegal drug.