National Museum of Natural Sciences

What to expect

The museum traces back to 1771, when Charles III acquired the collection of Pedro Franco Dávila and set up a Royal Cabinet of Natural History. Since 1907 it has been in a large brick building on the Paseo de la Castellana, built for a national exhibition in 1881 and shared with an engineering school. Today it belongs to the CSIC, Spain's main research council.

The museum is split into a biology zone and a geology zone, each with its own entrance and not connected inside, so check which one you are standing at. Geology is a single tall hall: fossils and big skeletons on the lower floor, minerals and meteorites above. Biology covers Mediterranean landscapes and biodiversity, with temporary exhibitions that change. Expect a classic, slightly old-fashioned museum that works well with children.

Don't miss

• The Diplodocus replica
• The Megatherium skeleton from 1788
• Meteorites and minerals upstairs
• A mounted Asian elephant given to Charles III
• Dioramas of Spanish wildlife

Tips for your visit

• Check which of the two entrances you need before you queue; the biology and geology zones are separate inside.
• Plan one to two hours; with young children, the dinosaur and big-skeleton floor is the best part.
• It is a good rainy-day choice, and the Retiro park and the Archaeological Museum are not far away.