The idea for the foundation was made in 1968 by Joan Miró. Miró formed the foundation with his friend Joan Prats. Miró wanted to create a new building that would encourage particularly younger artists to experiment with contemporary art. The building was designed by Josep Lluís Sert. He designed the building with courtyards, terraces and to create a natural path for visitors to move through the building.

The foundation opened on 10 June 1975. It was claimed that the new foundation represented a new way of viewing the concept of a museum and how the people of Barcelona could relate to their cultural heritage. Expansion in 1986 to the building added an auditorium and a library which holds some of the 10,000 items in the Foundation and Miró’s collection.

The Foundation’s collection currently comprises over 14,000 pieces: 217 paintings, 178 sculptures, 9 textiles, 4 ceramics, the almost complete graphic works and some 8,000 drawings. The major part of this collection was donated to the Foundation by Joan Miró himself, but other pieces have come from private collections.

If you would like to enjoy more of Miró, just visit the Pla de l'Os, the "Womand and Bird Sculpture" and the Mural on the Barcelona's Airport.