The collections of the Museu de les Arts Decoratives de Barcelona are largely the result of donations from collectors, private individuals, designers and, most especially, industrial design companies.

The permanent exhibition is divided into two sections. The first showcases pieces from Europe which are displayed chronologically in different galleries according to their period in art history. The second section begins with the art versus industry debate, which predated design itself, and goes on to analyse objects from the project, production, marketing and consumption point of view. This is the first and only permanent industrial design collection in Spain.

The museum, together with the Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentària and Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques collection, belongs to the new design center, the Disseny HUB Barcelona. The activities of this new center are build up around four main areas: Museum, Scene, Research and Development. Until the new building opening in plaça de les Glòries de Barcelona, the center will have two venues: Palau Reial de Pedralbes, for the permanent exhibitions, and Palau del Marquès de Llió, with the studio gallery and temporary activities.