{"id":14396,"date":"2017-10-09T10:19:45","date_gmt":"2017-10-09T08:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madridfoodtour.com\/?p=423"},"modified":"2017-10-09T10:19:45","modified_gmt":"2017-10-09T08:19:45","slug":"famous-museums-in-madrid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dev.devourtours.com\/blog\/famous-museums-in-madrid\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to the Top 15 Museums in Madrid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Without a doubt, Madrid is a museum lover’s dream come true, offering something for just about everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n
If you want to dig a little deeper into the cultural side of the Spanish capital, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to discover the top museums in Madrid and how to make the most of each one!<\/p>\n\n\n
You\u2019ve certainly heard of the Prado, right? Additionally, the Reina Sof\u00eda and the Thyssen may ring a bell. Madrid\u2019s Golden Triangle of Art\u2014the city\u2019s three cheek-by-jowl uber-galleries\u2014are impossible to ignore. <\/p>\n\n\n
And rightly so!\u00a0They\u2019re each packed with equally wonderful works.<\/p>\n\n\n
But these three aren’t the end-all-be-all of Madrid’s art scene, and certainly not the only top museums in Madrid. So whether you’re an art aficionado, a history buff, a science lover or anything in between, there’s a Madrid museum you’ll love. Here are the best museums in the Spanish capital\u2014from iconic spots to hidden gems<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n By and large, the Museo Nacional del Prado<\/a> is one of the famous museums in Madrid. In fact, it’s the<\/em> most famous, and for good reason. <\/p>\n\n\n The permanent collection spans multiple styles, time periods and artists. Together, it encompasses one of the most impressive collections of classical European paintings in the world. Additionally, the temporary exhibitions never fail to impress. <\/p>\n\n\n Make sure to visit the Goya paintings downstairs, including\u00a0the room of his Black Paintings.\u00a0You can also find art by\u00a0Vel\u00e1zquez (including Las Meninas), El Greco and Hieronymus Bosch, just to name a few!<\/p>\n\n\n The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sof\u00eda<\/a>\u00a0is the Prado’s modern art counterpart. It’s split into two equally important sections: the old and new wings. The former houses the permanent collection and the latter temporary expositions. <\/p>\n\n\n The old building used to be a hospital and surrounds a tranquil center courtyard. Every floor of the museum has its own gems. But the must-see piece is Picasso\u2019s famous Guernica, a somber and moving depiction of the bombing<\/a> of a small Basque town by the Nazis. <\/p>\n\n\n In addition to a respectable collection of Picasso masterpieces, you’ll also find works by more legendary artists of the 20th century, such as Salvador Dal\u00ed and Joan Mir\u00f3.<\/p>\n\n\n Rounding out Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art is the Museo de Arte Thyssen-Bornemisza<\/a>. Its original collection consisted of 775 paintings belonging to the famed art collector Heinrich Freiherr Thyssen-Bornemisza. These pieces, some from artists as famous as Picasso and El Greco, hang in chronological order throughout the Thyssen.<\/p>\n\n\n The Thyssen’s collection fills in the gap between the Prado and the Reina Sof\u00eda. It provides visitors with more incredible artwork than they may have bargained for!<\/p>\n\n\n Joaqu\u00edn Sorolla is well-known in Spain. Overseas, though, the more famous Spanish painters of his time\u2014namely, the Cubists\u2014have eclipsed him. Which is unfortunate, because his work is like a sun-drenched Spanish dream. <\/p>\n\n\n Born in Valencia, he had a knack for re-creating the Mediterranean\u2019s gauzy light. He’s famous for his radiant beach scenes and vignettes of local fishermen.<\/p>\n\n\n The Sorolla Museum\u00a0is the artist\u2019s former home-cum-mansion (he moved to Madrid as a young man). It tastefully combines Sorolla\u2019s work with his personal belongings. Memorably, on an easel in the artist\u2019s studio is the unfinished portrait he was working on when he died. <\/p>\n\n\n The sumptuous house wraps around an idyllic Andalusian-style garden, an inner-city oasis which you can enter for free. Be sure to get the excellent English-language audio guide.<\/p>\n\n\n If you\u2019re in Madrid for art, especially Goya, then you\u2019d be mad to miss the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. A two-minute walk from Puerta del Sol, the former fine arts academy (Picasso and Dal\u00ed are alumni) is now a sprawling gallery of 15th\u201320th century masters: Rubens, Titian, Picasso, El Greco, Gris and Sorolla are all represented. <\/p>\n\n\n That said, two other standouts are Arcimboldo (a quirky Prague court painter with a penchant for faces formed of fruits and veggies) and Goya. Considered by many to be the first modern artist, the gallery is home to thirteen of his works, including a boisterous madhouse scene, a chilling Inquisition scene and two of the painter\u2019s most poignant self-portraits.<\/p>\n\n\n Yet another hidden gem among the top museums in Madrid is the Museo del Romanticismo. This gorgeous gem of a space showcases the various art forms from the Romantic period in Spain, including paintings, models, decorative arts, stamps, drawings and photography. <\/p>\n\n\n Each room looks like a different part of a fabulous home\u2014some decorated in shades of light blue, others in pinks and tans. The museum also hosts various concerts and events as well as temporary exhibits. When you’re finished exploring, be sure to enjoy a coffee and a snack in the beautiful courtyard caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n Here’s another one of Madrid\u2019s top museums\u00a0that might surprise you.\u00a0The Naval Museum<\/a>, located just next to the Prado, is a fascinating glimpse into how Spain built (and then squandered) its considerable overseas empire. <\/p>\n\n\n Packed with weapons, globes, astrolabes, cannons, shipwreck artefacts and more model galleons than you can brandish a cutlass at, the staggering collection demonstrates just how powerful this nation and its armada once were. The highlight of the collection is the oldest preserved map of the Americas, dating from 1500. <\/p>\n\n\n Displays are only described in Spanish, but English-language cards summarize each room. Note that this is a military location (it’s inside the Armada\u2019s offices), which means you\u2019ll need photo ID to get in.<\/p>\n\n\n Just beside Plaza Espa\u00f1a in downtown Madrid, the Museo Cerralbo is the former mini-palace of an absurdly wealthy early 20th century Spanish marquis. He died in 1922 and bequeathed his house and belongings to the state. <\/p>\n\n\n But there was one condition: the authorities weren\u2019t allowed to move or remove anything. Which means the marquis\u2019s home is just as he left it, making this an eye-popping insight into the life of the mega-rich in Belle \u00c9poque Madrid. <\/p>\n\n\n His priceless art collection covers the walls, his hoard of weapons and armor crams a long hallway, sepia-stained photos of family members decorate dressers. And the marquis\u2019 office\u2014his desk cluttered with an inkwell, sheets of paper and other workday paraphernalia\u2014suggest the long-dead grandee has just popped out to lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n Discover the story of Spain’s capital at the Madrid History Museum. Housed in a breathtaking Baroque building, the museum documents the city’s history from its designation as the national capital in 1561 up to the early 20th century.<\/p>\n\n\n As you make your way through the permanent collection’s three unique spaces, you’ll get a peek at how madrile\u00f1os<\/em> have lived, worked, dressed, and eaten throughout the centuries. A few standouts among its collection of 60,000+ objects are a scale model of the city built in 1830, porcelain pieces from the Buen Retiro factory, and of course, a handful of Goya paintings.<\/p>\n\n\n The museum offers special guided tours for young visitors, making it a great option for something to do in Madrid with kids<\/a>. And if you’re still not convinced, it’s completely free<\/a> to visit!<\/p>\n\n\n Founded in 1867 by Queen Isabel II, Madrid’s National Archaeology Museum is a stunning testament to prehistoric and ancient times. It is one of the best museums of its kind in Spain, with an impressive collection of artifacts from around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n Here, you’ll find prehistoric cave paintings, Greek vases, Roman mosaics, Egyptian mummies, and Spanish pottery all under one roof. Don’t miss one of the museum’s greatest treasures: the Lady of Elche<\/a>, a stone sculpture of an ancient Iberian woman that has capitvated experts and visitors alike for more than a century. <\/p>\n\n\n The Museo del Ferrocarril<\/a>, or Railway Museum, is one of the top museums in Madrid for kids, history lovers, and all curious visitors. Here, you can step back in time to discover the history of train travel in the Spanish capital. <\/p>\n\n\n Housed in a stunning old wrought-iron train station built in the 19th century, this museum is one of Madrid’s most visually stunning. From early steam engines to electric locomotives and beyond, the museum offers an up-close look at train travel in a time when it was still considered a special luxury. You can even enjoy a meal in a gorgeous old dining car from the 1930s!<\/p>\n\n\n If you’re eager to learn more about the world we live in, the National Museum of Natural Sciences<\/a> is the perfect Madrid museum for you. This place is dedicated to helping visitors gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the diversity of the natural world, and it does an excellent job at fulfilling its mission.<\/p>\n\n\n Within its sprawling complex in the Salamanca neighborhood, you’ll find thousands of specimens representing the biodiversity of the Mediterranean area. It’s one of the oldest museums of its kind in Europe, and one of the few places in Madrid where you can get an in-depth understanding of everything from fossils to climate change all under one roof.<\/p>\n\n\n At the other end of the STEM spectrum is Madrid’s Robot Museum<\/a>, showcasing the development of this fascinating technology throughout the modern age. Discover the past, present, and future of robotics as you enjoy a guided tour (available in Spanish or English) throughout this cutting-edge space.<\/p>\n\n\n From replicas of famous movie robots (Star Wars, anyone?) to Europe’s largest collection of robot dogs to the famous NOA humanoid robot, this museum makes robotics easy to understand and accessible to all. It’s an especially great choice if you’re visiting with kids, but sure to thrill adults as well!<\/p>\n\n\n A relative newcomer on Madrid’s museum scene, the up-and-coming CaixaForum<\/a> exhibition space sits just down the street from the Museo del Prado. If you get lost, just look for the impressive vertical garden out front! <\/p>\n\n\n Housed in a repurposed former electrical plant, CaixaForum has quickly made a name for itself as one of the top museums in Madrid. It hosts an impressive agenda of temporary exhibitions showcasing art, design, photography, archaeology, and more, including regularly scheduled kids’ programming. <\/p>\n\n\nArt Museums in Madrid<\/h2>\n\n\n
1. Prado Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
2. Reina Sof\u00eda Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
3. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
4. Sorolla Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
5. Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando<\/h3>\n\n\n
Historical Museums in Madrid<\/h2>\n\n\n
6. Museum of Romanticism<\/h3>\n\n\n
7. Naval Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
8. Cerralbo Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
9. Madrid History Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
10. National Archaeology Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
11. Railway Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
Science & Technology Museums in Madrid<\/h2>\n\n\n
12. National Museum of Natural Sciences<\/h3>\n\n\n
13. Robot Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n
More Great Museums in Madrid<\/h2>\n\n\n
14. CaixaForum<\/h3>\n\n\n
15. Convent of the Barefoot Nuns<\/h3>\n\n\n