Museum of Costume (Museo del Traje)

The basics

Housed in what was originally the Spanish Museum of Contemporary Art, this single-level museum is a delight for travelers interested in fashion. As you walk through the galleries, you'll learn about how styles changed, evolved, and spoke to cultural shifts over the centuries. Since the permanent exhibit here is constantly changing, you're likely to see different garments on display every time you visit.

Things to know before you go

• The Museum of Costume is a must-see for travelers interested in the history of clothing and what it says about society.

• Themed tours are occasionally held on subjects ranging from traditional clothing to the relationship between fashion, women, and culture, but are generally conducted in Spanish.

• The museum is wheelchair accessible, and the C/Paul Guinard entrance is wheelchair-friendly. The museum also has two loaner wheelchairs.

How to get there

The museum is located on Avenida de Juan de Herrera in the northern part of Madrid. It's easy to reach using public transportation: Lines 46, 82, 83, 132, 133, and G stop near the museum. If you're coming by metro, you can take Line 3 or 6 to Moncloa or Line 6 to Ciudad Universitaria.

When to get there

The museum is open every day of the week except for Monday, but it closes early on Sundays and some public holidays. It stays open late on Thursday nights in July and August. Note that it’s closed on Christmas Eve and Day, New Year’s Eve and Day, Epiphany, May 1, and November 9.

The Museum of the Americas (Museo de América)

About a 15-minute walk from the Museum of Costume, the Museum of the Americas is a fantastic place to learn about the history of the people of North and South America before, during, and after Spanish colonization. Here you’ll find a huge collection of objects spread across multiple floors, ranging from ancient tools to beautiful jewelry.