Museo Arqueológico Nacional

This stately mansion is a storehouse of artifacts from the prehistoric to the baroque. One of the prime exhibits here is the Iberian statue The Lady of Elche, a piece of primitive carving (from the 4th c. B.C.), discovered on the southeastern coast of Spain. Finds from Ibiza, Paestum, and Rome are on display, including statues of Tiberius and his mother, Livia. The Islamic collection from Spain is outstanding. Other collections include Spanish Renaissance lusterware, Talavera pottery, Retiro porcelain, and some rare 16th- and 17th-century Andalusian glassware. Many of the exhibits are treasures that were removed from churches and monasteries. A much-photographed choir stall, from the palace of Palencia, dates from the 14th century. Also worth a look are the reproductions of the Altamira cave paintings (chiefly of bison, horses, and boars), discovered near Santander in northern Spain in 1868.

The museum is being renovated and will not be fully re-opened until 2012. In the meantime, a number of ground floor exhibits can be viewed free of charge.

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