More and more galleries are beginning to realise that the standard opening hours mean that those of us who are working during the day miss out on visiting exhibitions we’d like to see. Yes, you could go at the weekend, but hoards of children and the weekend-break tourist crew usually means that visiting a museum is not the relaxed, pleasurable experience we’d like it to be. We found the late opening galleries in four major European cities and bars just around the corner, meaning that you can combine culture and cocktails. What’s not to like?!

Paris

Musée du Louvre

The Musée du Louvre is apparently the most visited art gallery in the world! Which is why you should go along on either Wednesday or Friday when the gallery is open until 10pm meaning that you probably won’t have to spend hours queuing past the Mona Lisa. The museum is absolutely huge – there are around 60,000m² of gallery space filled with paintings, sculptures, prints and antiquities from all over the globe.

Le Fumoir

Le Fumoir is handily situated just across the road from the Louvre and has an absolutely fantastic drinks list. The bar is a cocktail aficionado’s heaven and Le Fumoir excels at serving classic cocktails how they were meant to be. Would you like your martini dry, extra dry or perfect? The bar is always dimly lit and it’s a bit like stepping back in time to an era when ladies and gentlemen dressed for dinner. Le Fumoir also serves uncomplicated French food in its restaurant.

London

Tate Modern

The Tate Modern houses Britain’s collection of international modern art and you can explore major art movements such as Surrealism, Fauvism and Pop Art and spot instantly recgonisable works by Picasso, Warhol and Dali to namecheck just three of the big names on show here. The Tate Modern endeavours to make art accessible and as entry to the permanent collections is free of charge, the Tate is perfect for a relaxed evening of culture and in-depth discussions on the value of modern art. Open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Refinery Bar

The Refinery is a beautifully-designed bar and restaurant just around the corner from the Tate Modern which has a great wine and cocktail list as well as serving a menu based on fresh organic and locally-sourced ingredients. The range of sharing boards and modern British tapas are the perfect accompaniment to their fun cocktails which you can also order to share and come served in teacups!

Berlin

Neue Nationalgalerie

The Neue Nationalgalerie was designed by pioneering modern architect Mies van der Rohe and houses Germany’s collection of 20th century art. The gallery in itself is a masterpiece but in terms of art there are works on show from Klee, Dix, Kandinksy and Kirchner in the permanent collection. There is also a section dedicated to the art of the German Democratic Republic and a terrace outdoors with large-scale modern sculptures. Open until 10pm on Thursdays.

Victoria Bar

Mr van der Rohe may not have designed Victoria Bar but nevertheless its interior is sleek, modern and the opposite of some of Berlin’s more bohemian bars. This is the place to rub shoulders with some of the city’s more well-heeled inhabitants and try some of award-winning bartender Stefan Weber’s cocktails. The drinks menu is pretty extensive, but never fear, the Victoria also serves bar snacks, sandwiches and salads to help soak up the spirits!

Barcelona

CCCB

The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, or CCCB for short, is a multidisciplinary cultural centre which organises exhibitions, concerts, film projections and dance shows. There is a wide and varied programme of events but all are connected to contemporary culture and often focus on social and urban issues. Exhibitions aim to “challenge the spectator’s way of seeing”. The Centre is open until 10pm on Thursdays.

Marmalade

Marmalade is a gloriously eclectic mix of styles – from antique sofas and wallpaper to an chrome art deco bar and even a billiard table. This may be explained by the fact that fifty years ago it used to be a rather grand furniture shop called Muebles Navarro. As well as serving delicious cocktails (try their red chilli and passion fruit margarita), Marmalade also has a restaurant which offers gourmet tapas – perfect for sharing.

ULTURA CONTEMPORÀNIA DE BARCELONA