What are the must-visit museums in Madrid? Discover our top 15 must-visit museums in Madrid!
Madrid is an energetic, vibrant, cosmopolitan capital with an impressive historical and cultural heritage! Endearing and beautiful, it never ceases to seduce visitors and residents alike. At the turn of every street, and in the heart of its charming neighborhoods, you’ll discover its modernism, its history and all the little things that make it so rich. Among them, we can’t fail to mention its cultural offerings. For Madrid boasts an astonishing cultural and artistic heritage, which is highlighted by its museums.
During your stay in the Spanish capital, there’s no shortage of cultural highlights to discover. These include the Prado and Reina Sofía museums, but there are many more! Some must-sees can even be visited free of charge thanks to the Madrid Card, an indispensable sesame. Are you planning to visit Europe’s sunniest capital soon? We’ve put together a list of the 15 must-visit museums in Madrid.
1. The Prado Museum
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Length of visit: minimum half-day, full day.
Line-cut ticket: yes
Located in the heart of the city, the Prado Museum is Madrid’s most famous and one of the most important art museums in the world. Designed by Juan de Villanueva, this giant gallery traces the history of European art from the 12th to the 19th century. It houses over seven thousand paintings, nine hundred works of sculpture and countless drawings and other objets d’art in its permanent and temporary exhibitions.
2. Reina Sofía Museum
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Visiting time: minimum two hours (if you concentrate on the 2nd floor, the most famous). To explore the entire collection, allow four hours.
Line-cut ticket: yes
Founded in 1992, the Museo Reina Sofía is one of the three must-visit museums in Madrid. It covers eras not covered by the Prado Museum. In particular, you’ll discover works dating from 1881, the year Pablo Picasso was born.
The museum exhibits Picasso’s famous Guernica, as well as masterpieces by Dalí, Juan Gris, Francis Bacon and Andy Warhol.
3. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
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Visiting time: three hours.
Line-cut ticket: yes
Complementing the collections of the Museo del Prado and the Museo Reina Sofía, the fantastic Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza is one of Madrid’s most important art museums.
Its permanent collection includes masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance and French Impressionism by artists such as Dali, Van Gogh and Monet. But above all, you’ll see the history of art flash before your eyes during your visit to the Thyssen Museum.
4. The National Archaeological Museum
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Visit time: two to three hours.
Located in the Palace of the National Library and Museums, next to Plaza Columbus, the Museo Arqueológico Nacional is one of Madrid’s must-visit museums. Its permanent collection features objects collected throughout the history of the Iberian Peninsula. You’ll also discover superb collections from Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Rome.
After this discovery, don’t miss a visit to the Spanish National Library, located in the same building. It also houses an important part of Iberian history and culture.
5. Madrid History Museum
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Visiting time: at least two hours.
Would you like to learn more about the history of the Spanish capital? Then don’t miss this museum. Its excellent collection of over sixty thousand works showcases Madrid’s historical and urban development over the centuries. What’s more, it’s located in the heart of the city, in an imposing and magnificent building: the former Hospice de San Fernando.
6. Cerralbo Museum
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Visiting time: one to two hours.
Nestled in a magnificent 17th-century mansion, the Cerralbo is one of Madrid’s must-visit museums, even if it remains little-known. It houses one of the largest private collections in Spain.
You’ll discover over fifty thousand pieces, including paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furniture, weapons, archaeological finds and various artifacts and objects that belonged to the Marquis de Cerralbo and his family. The museum offers an insight into the way of life of the Spanish aristocracy in the 19th century.
7. The National Museum of Natural Sciences
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Visiting time: at least two hours.
The National Museum of Natural Sciences is one of Madrid’s must-visit museums, and one of the oldest. It dates back to the 18th century, when it was King Charles III’s Royal Natural History Cabinet.
Its first permanent exhibition explains the history of life on Earth through fossils, the second details the Mediterranean ecosystem and the last plunges you into the atmosphere of the first natural science cabinets. Its highlight is the replica of a Diplodocus carnegii.
8. Musée national des arts décoratifs
Photo Credit: Facebook / Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas
Visiting time: one to two hours.
There’s more to art than the paintings and sculptures of great artists. This museum demonstrates this perfectly with its collection of over seventy thousand pieces of furniture, tapestries and works of decorative art, some of which date back to 400 BC.
Here you’ll discover ceramics from Talavera and Teruel, and a collection of oriental arts including porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
9. Almudena Cathedral Museum
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Visiting time: one hour.
Built opposite the Royal Palace in the 20th century, Almudena Cathedral is Madrid’s newest cathedral and one of its most important religious buildings. It houses an interesting museum, whose twelve rooms retrace the history of the Madrid diocese.
From the museum, you’ll also have the chance to climb to the top of the dome, where a beautiful view of the capital awaits you.
10. Sorolla Museum
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Visiting time: at least an hour and a half.
Housed in the former home of Impressionist artist Joaquín Sorolla, the Sorolla Museum is one of Madrid’s must-see museums.
Here you’ll discover the painter’s works, as well as sketches, furniture and artifacts. Particularly noteworthy are his drawings of his family life and the plans for his house, as well as the three Andalusian-style gardens that surround the building.
11. Museum of America
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Visiting time: at least an hour and a half.
Created in April 1941, the Museo de América exhibits collections of art, archaeology and ethnology from pre-Columbian to colonial America. Organized into five sections, the museum presents in turn the perception and discovery of America in Europe, the history and settlement of the continent, the organization of its societies and religions, and the development of communication and languages.
This is a fascinating museum that provides an in-depth understanding of this continent and its history.
12. The Lázaro Galdiano Museum
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Visiting time: at least two hours.
Located in his former home, the Lázaro Galdiano Museum exhibits 15,000 paintings and antique objects collected by the collector of the same name.
It houses world-renowned paintings, drawings and engravings by Goya, as well as other masterpieces.
13. The Naval Museum
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Length of visit: one and a half to two hours.
This vast museum dedicated to the navy displays historical elements of the Spanish Armada, from the 15th century to the present day.
You’ll discover paintings, weapons, coins, navigational instruments and reconstructions of military and merchant ships.
14. The Museum of Romanticism
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Visiting time: an hour and a half.
Housed in an 18th-century palace, this Musée du Romantisme exhibits over 16,000 antiques, paintings and furniture dating from 1833 to 1868.
Its collections and decor will give you a deeper insight into the life and customs of Madrid’s haute bourgeoisie at the time. Luxury and ostentation are the key words. Visits generally last
15. Las Ventas bullring
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Visiting time: one hour.
This temple of bullfighting, renowned for its San Isidro feria, won’t be universally acclaimed by travelers. However, it represents an important cultural aspect of the Spanish capital.
The bullring houses the Bullfighting Museum, where you can learn more about this tradition and its history.