Subway stations that look like museums

BarcelonaA century ago, on 30 December 1924 to be exact, the first train on the Barcelona metro network left Lesseps station heading for Plaça Catalunya, and to commemorate this, 2025 is the centenary. One hundred years of tunnels, underground stories and endless journeys that have connected the city from end to end. That's why Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona is preparing activities that will open the doors to spaces that are normally out of our reach: ghost stations, hidden corridors and train simulators that are like real-life video games. An opportunity to peek into the most inaccessible corners of the metro and feel, for a few minutes, like a real train driver.

The truth is that underground, there is a parallel universe. In Barcelona and in all the cities that have a metro. That is why we suggest you discover metro stops in different European cities far from the greyness and fluorescent lights. Some could be museum rooms, others look like contemporary art galleries, and some even transport you to a science fiction movie or a Russian palace. From the decadent charm of a station abandoned in the sixties like Chamberí, in Madrid, to feeling like you are in a surreal forest in Stockholm or being surprised by a station that seems to have been designed by Dalí in Lisbon.

The metro is much more than a place to pass through. It is an underground museum ready to explore. All you have to do is go down the stairs, buy the best pass and start the journey.

Now in disuse, it has been converted into an underground museum with the original ticket offices, ceramic advertising posters and perfectly restored furniture from 1919, when it opened. In operation for almost fifty years, it closed in 1966 because a curve that was too sharp and its proximity to the Bilbao and Iglesia stations condemned it. Now, walking through it is like going back a few decades and discovering a time when the metro was synonymous with the future and ceramics looked better than stainless steel. A trip on the Madrid metro of the 1960s.

A visual journey through time and nature. Opened in 1975 with the first branch of the city's blue line, Solna Centrum is not only a colourful spectacle, but also a statement of principles. The mural depicts a living forest, painted in shades of green and red: a sunset behind the trees. Artists Karl-Olov Björk and Anders Åberg also added scenes that dealt with burning issues in Sweden in the 1970s, such as the environment, deforestation and the effects of rural depopulation. A mural that not only decorates the station, but makes it a reflection of the social struggles of that time.

Considered one of the most beautiful metro stations in Europe, it is an art gallery open to everyone. The work of Catalan Oscar Tusquets Blanca, it represents the passage from land to sea. On the first level, the mosaics by William Kentridge will captivate you with their contrast of dark and intense colours. But the real spectacle begins when you go down to the second level: the Crater of Light, a spectacular structure that allows natural light to penetrate from outside and merge with the colours of 144 LEDs, creating the effect of an underwater world. The Waves murals add a sense of depth, as if you were floating in the ocean. A journey that begins underground and ends in another world.

It stands out for its futuristic design and the impressive lights designed by Ingo Maurer, which fill the space with red and yellow hues. The combination of the dark blue of the walls and the huge lamps hanging from the ceiling creates an almost surreal atmosphere. The design by Fritz Auer, the architect responsible for other icons of the city, includes such spectacular elements that it seems impossible that a metro station could be so majestic.

Portugal's capital also has an underground museum. Opened in 1998, this stop on the Lisbon Red Line was designed by architect Tomás Taveira. This large infrastructure, with imposing industrial-style pillars and a vibrant play of colours that fill the space, makes it unmistakable. Especially with the art that decorates its walls: works by Pedro Calapez, Pedro Cabrita Reis and other artists. Whether you walk along the platform or through the entrance and exit corridors, art and design are present at every step.

Another station to immerse yourself in the history of the metro. In this case, at a stop on the tube Aldwych is a London station with over a hundred years of history. You can only enter with an exclusive tour that allows you to explore every corner of this station where time seems to stand still. From the period ceramic tiles to the advertising posters that have remained there for decades. Aldwych played a fundamental role during the world wars as an air raid shelter and was a protection point for invaluable works of art.

With marble columns, chandeliers and monumental mosaics, Komsomolskaya station looks more like a baroque palace than a metro stop. Opened in 1952, it is the work of architect Aleksei Shussev, who conceived a majestic space with a large dome and baroque details. Pavel Korin's mosaics, dedicated to Russian heroes, embellish this underground palace, which was awarded the Stalin Prize for its imposing design.

The most original station on the Paris network transports you into an imaginary submarine. Inspired by the world of Jules Verne, its vaults and walls are covered with copper plates with portholes spread throughout the station that function as display cases. Through these circular windows, you can see objects such as the Telstar satellite, a water wheel, Paul Séjourné's Antoinette bridge or an armillary sphere. In the centre of the vault, an opening reveals gears, while metal benches and copper-lined waste bins reinforce its industrial and retro-futurist aesthetic.

Conceived as a museum station, San Giovanni is a window into Rome's past, where each underground level reveals a new historical era. Through display cases and explanations, you can admire archaeological finds that were made during the construction of the station: giant amphorae, ancient coins, marble statues and even a woven basket from the 1st century BC. Built on the Aurelian Walls, this station not only connects the city, but transports its visitors over the centuries to more than 100 metres underground, making each journey a true immersion in the history of Rome.

Other underground museums in the world

• Old City Hall (New York, USA)

A historic station with iron arches, mosaics and a glass dome only accessible through special tours.

• University of Chile (Santiago, Chile)

A mural by Mario Toral tells the story of Chile, turning the station into a small museum of modern Chilean art.

• BurJuman (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

It stands out for its artistic ensemble dedicated to water, with bright chandeliers depicting jellyfish floating above the travelers.

• Yuyuan Garden (Shanghai, China)

This futuristic station looks like a forest under giant mushrooms and LED lights that change color according to the festivities.

• Alisher Navoiy (Tashkent, Uzbekistan)

A station that looks like a mosque, with walls decorated with turquoise images celebrating the life of poet and painter Alisher Navoiy.