Cerralbo Museum (Museo Cerralbo)

The Basics

If you’ve ever wondered what life was like for an aristocratic Spanish family in the 19th century, you can find out at the Cerralbo Museum. The walls are lined with priceless gilt frames, marble columns line the halls and intricate marquetry cabinets open to reveal yet more treasures.

There are almost 50,000 objects on display, most dating from the neo-baroque and rococo eras. It’s a dazzling taste of the level of wealth the family enjoyed. The palace was donated to the nation by the Marquis so that his collections might live on together forever.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Entry to the museum is via paid ticket—children and seniors go free.
• Most of the museum is wheelchair accessible, a small number of the rooms might be difficult to access for wheelchair users.
• The museum has late night opening on Thursdays until 8 pm.

How to Get There

The Cerralbo Museum is located on Calle Ventura Rodríguez, close to the Plaza d’España and the Temple of Debod. The closest metro stations are Noviciado (lines 2,3,10) and Plaza d’España (lines 2,3,10). Alternatively you can take a taxi, or walk from other points nearby.

When to Get There

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Monday and some public holidays. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time. Sundays are the busiest day of the week—try to visit another time for a quieter experience.

See an Exhibition at the Caixa Forum

Along Madrid’s famous Paseo del Prado, the Caixa Forum offers a constantly changing program of special exhibitions. With displays on subjects as varied as the art of Opera, the posters of Toulouse Lautrec or the work of Andy Warhol, the well thought out exhibitions make this one of the most exciting museums in the city.