Location: Madrid
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What to do and see in Madrid, Community of Madrid: The Best Museums
So many of Madrid’s buildings look like castles, you’ll think you’ve stumbled into a fairytale. Even City Hall is astounding, with its white pinnacles and neo-Gothic features. A self-guided architecture tour can begin by the great bear statue in the central Puerta del Sol. Wander by the fanciful Royal Palace before absorbing the natural beauty of Retiro Park, then visit one of the city’s many museums. You could happily cap off each day by nibbling on forkfuls of paella while sipping Spanish rioja.
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1. Prado National Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 56,733 reviews
The Prado has one of the largest art collections in the world, and is best known for its diverse assortment of works by Velasquez, Goya and El Greco.
Reviewed By EricM59cc - Miami Beach, United States
Must see attraction in Madrid, beautifully organized and great collection from Spanish masters and some extra bonus with masterpieces by Bosh, Rubens,... Highly recommended.
2. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16,159 reviews
World famous modern art museum featuring a diverse collection of 20th century Spanish art, from Picasso to Solana.
Reviewed By psdunner - Bethesda, United States
Wonderful collection of modern art the video, long, of the history from the Civil War on is fascinating and a unique way of learning history. The works of modern Spanish artists is incomparable.
3. Museo Sorolla
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,378 reviews
The Sorolla Museum preserves the original atmosphere of both home and study of the painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (Valencia, 1863 - Cercedilla, 1923). It houses the richest collection of his works, colourful paintings irradiating light and vitality. It is one of the more complete and best preserved artist homes remaining in Europe. The garden, also designed by himself, is a beautiful oasis in the city.
Reviewed By PatAustralia
This small museum in a smart part of Madrid is a gem. Not crowded, cheap entry fee, excellent English signage and audio and peaceful. It is worlds away from the bedlam of the Prado and Thyssen. It is Sorolla’s house and garden and we spent a leisurely hour or so taking in the beauty and cleverness of this wonderful Spanish artist who specialised in ‘light’. Plenty of really good cafes close by for a coffee afterwards. Highly recommended.
4. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16,537 reviews
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum offers visitors an overview of art from the 13th century to the late 20th century. In the nearly one thousand works on display, visitors can contemplate the major periods and pictorial schools of western art such as the Renaissance, Mannerism, the Baroque, Rococo, Romanticism and the art of the 19th and 20th centuries up to Pop Art. The museum also features works from some movements not represented in state-owned collections, such as Impressionism, Fauvism, German Expressionism and the experimental avant-garde movements of the early 20th century. In addition, it boasts an important collection of 19th-century American painting not found in any other European museum institutions. Permanent collection hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 to 19.00 Monday: 12.00 - 16.00* *Free entry with the sponsorship of Mastercard.
Reviewed By barryb487
On a prior visit to Madrid, I'd toured the Prado and Reina Sofia, both of which are excellent and well reputed museums. However, the "Thyssen" proved to be my favorite art museum in Madrid for two reasons: 1) The quality of the private collection housed here is superb; and 2) The galleries within the museum are ideal for displaying the collection, light, bright, fresh...a truly pleasant experience. As an inveterate international traveler who also loves art, this was a welcome respite from many larger and somewhat overwhelming museums.
5. Casa Museo Lope de Vega
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 741 reviews
"My little house, my peace, my garden and my study" Such was the way Lope described his house in a letter to a friend. A visit to this house es a testimony, a literary and emotional journey, an invitation to travel through art, literature and history to a bygone Madrid. Access to the museum is via guided group tours (maximum 10 people accompanied by a guide)Tours must be booked in advance by telephone or email.
Reviewed By breezy1435 - Saratoga Springs, United States
Constant Companion and I booked an English Tour several months in advance and hoped for the best! We had tried to visit last year but on the day of our reservation the guide fell ill. Our guide, only two months in his job this year was terrific! I cannot say enough good about him--passionate, humorous, and accommodating! We were the only two on the tour so he showed us all the rooms, told wonderful stories, and provided us interesting insights. Lope de Vega was a contemporary of Cervantes. He wrote many plays, had 17 children, became a priest, had several loves including the "love of his life" in his 40's, an actress! It is this home which he purchased to settle down, to devote time to his gardens, and to outsmart the tax man by "having a military guest in his home"! We completely enjoyed our visit, particularly the living room, the bookcases, and the objects donated by a daughter who became a nun! Very highly recommended Madrid treasure!
6. Museo Arqueologico Nacional
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,099 reviews
Works dating mostly from Hispanic prehistory to the Modern Age, but it also includes some other cultural remains: Greek, Etruscan, Roman and various South American cultures.
Reviewed By 485carmencitad - Madrid, Spain
NATIVE POPULATION, as Tartessos, Turdetani, Iberian, Celts, Ligurians Galaicos, Astures, Cantabrians, Várdulos, Basques, MEDITERRANEAN Phoenicians Carthaginians, Greek, CONQUERORS Roman ,Vandalos, Suevos, Alanos, Goths Byzantine, Visigoths Arab... All these peoples constructed or left his fingerprint in Spain and you can find his track and his memory in the objects that are exposed in this eclectic Archaeological National Museum Dating from 1867, after a Conscientious renovation project is maybe the best archaeological museum in Europe and, therefore, in the world'. It traces the evolution of human cultures, from prehistoric times up to the 15th century.Remarkably, the great majority of pieces came from excavations carried out within Spain, illustrating the extraordinary continuity and diversity of human settlement in the Iberian peninsula. illustrating the extraordinary continuity and diversity of human settlement in the Iberian peninsula.
7. Museo Lazaro Galdiano
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,124 reviews
Reviewed By FactotumDellaCitta - London, United Kingdom
Lázaro Galdiano was a publisher who was active during the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was an avid collector of, well, everything - paintings, coins, textiles, jewelry, arms, and furniture, to name some of his interests. Highlights of his collection are housed in this museum, which is his former mansion.
8. Naval Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,830 reviews
** This place is temporarily closed**The Madrid Naval Museum is a State institution which belongs to the Ministry of Defense. The Museum is under the organic command of the Admiral Chief of Naval Staff and is governed by a Board of Trustees (Real Patronato). The Naval Museum is a living institution opened to the public. Its curators not only study, look after, exhibit and acquire new objects, but use it as an instrument of communication, education and dissemination of the maritime history of Spain and its traditions. The following are some of the research fields: History of the Spanish Navy Naval shipbuilding Nautical science and auxiliary sciences like cosmography, cartography and nautical instruments. History of maritime voyages and discoveries. Underwater archaeology Maritime heritage
Reviewed By dicod712 - Oslos, Denmark
What a fantastic and interesting museum depicting Spain's history as the supreme naval power . Not huge like some of Madrid other world class museums. Alot more manageable.
9. Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 457 reviews
10. Museo Cerralbo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,113 reviews
Reviewed By hilarionmartinez
Just got back from Madrid and have to share the pics I took at what I believe is Madrid’s BEST House Museum. The Museum Cerralbo houses the art and historical object collections of Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, 17th Marquis of Cerralbo, who died in 1922. The mansion was built in the 19th century, according to Italian taste, and is luxuriously decorated with baroque furniture, wall paintings and in my opinion the best chandeliers I’ve seen anywhere. If you like beautiful chandeliers do not miss it. It is near the Plaza de España Metro. The home retains its original aesthetics; the grand staircase will leave you breathless. It features an interesting collection of paintings, archaeology and furniture, including works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Jacopo Palma the Younger, El Greco, Ludovico Carracci, Alonso Cano, Zurbarán, Luis Paret and many more. This palace is my favorite home to visit in Madrid in that you see a great collection of paintings, furniture and decorative arts and experience what life was like for one of Madrid’s aristocratic families. It is SPECTACULAR!
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