Museo Arqueológico Nacional

Frommer's Review

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 [SSS], 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 was being renovated in 2008, but all exhibits can be viewed by the public during this period free of charge.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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