Barcelona´s Zoology Museum is housed in a gorgeous Modernist building designed by Lluís Domènech I Montaner for the World Fair in 1888.The Fair took place on the site which is now the Parc de la Ciutadella and the museum building, or Castello de Tres Dragones (Castle of Three Dragons) as it is commonly known, was the café and restaurant.It is a wonderfully over the top affair, and it is often said that the architect was only allowed such a free reign as the building was due to be destroyed once the Fair closed; over 100 years later visitors can still enjoy this fantasy castle with its turrets, castellated walls and Mudéjar windows.Once the Fair had finished it was used for a time as a workshop for the Modernist architects, before settling as the ZoologyMuseum in the 1930s.

The museum’s content is rather old-fashioned with stuffed animals arranged into ´lifelike´ poses in glass cabinets and specimens in jars; perhaps it is time to consider updating it out of the 19th century.However, the whale skeleton displayed in the basement is hugely impressive and children will love the library of animal sounds!