Madrid History Museum

What to expect

The Museo de Historia de Madrid is on Calle de Fuencarral 78, in the former Royal Hospice of San Fernando, a building designed by Pedro de Ribera. It opened in 1929 as the Museo Municipal and took its present name in 2007. The Fuencarral tourist page counts more than 60,000 objects connected to Madrid.

The permanent collection follows the city's history from 1561, when Madrid became Spain's capital, to the early 20th century, in three sections. Among the works are Ginés Andrés de Aguirre's view of the Puerta de Alcalá seen from Cibeles from 1785, 18th-century Baroque sculpture, including a Neapolitan nativity, a painting of festivities in the Plaza Mayor and Goya's Allegory of the City of Madrid from 1810. A scale model by León Gil de Palacio is also part of the collection.

Don't miss

• Goya's Allegory of the City of Madrid
• View of the Puerta de Alcalá from Cibeles
• Neapolitan nativity and Baroque sculpture
• Painting of festivities in the Plaza Mayor
• The scale model by León Gil de Palacio

Tips for your visit

• Look at the current exhibitions on the museum's website, as parts of the building can be closed for installation.
• It shows the city in chronological order, so follow the three sections in order.
• Combine it with the Museo del Romanticismo and the shops of Calle de Fuencarral.
• Tribunal, Bilbao and Gran Vía are the nearest metro stations.