National Anthropology Museum (Museo Nacional de Antropología)

The basics

Visitors explore the museum’s three floors independently, with the option to use audio guides to gain deeper insight. Artifacts span everything from Africa's domestic life and cultures to the societal heritages of Asia, the Americas, and the Philippines.

Many of Madrid’s hop-on hop-off buses stop close to the National Anthropology Museum, making it easy to cover nearby sights like Retiro Park and the Prado Museum in one hassle-free outing. History and art buffs should also consider purchasing one of Madrid’s multi-museum passes, which give reduced-cost entry to select galleries and historical institutions.

Things to know before you go

• Plan on staying around an hour at the museum.

• The museum is fully accessible to wheelchair users and families with strollers. Wheelchairs are available on loan if required.

• Bulky bags must be stowed in the lockers at reception.

• On-site amenities include restrooms, elevators, and baby-changing facilities.

• Free entry is usually available on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and other select days–contact the museum for details.

How to get there

The museum stands on Calle de Alfonso in Madrid’s Paseo del Arte district, near Retiro Park and the mainline Atocha train station. Getting here by public transport is straightforward: take Line 1 trains to the Atocha or Estación del Arte metro stops, about 3 minutes’ walk from the door. Alternatively, many Madrid buses stop at Atocha, including #001, #14, and #19. Several payable parking lots are located near Atocha and the Retiro.

When to get there

The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday throughout the year but usually closed on Jan. 1 and 6, May 1, and Dec. 24, 25, and 31. However, hours can vary, so check beforehand. Tuesday-Saturday hours are typically 9:30am–8pm, while Sunday and local holiday opening times are generally 10am–3pm. The museum is typically at its quietest on Tuesdays and busiest at weekends. Free entry is usually offered on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, attracting extra visitors.

What not to miss at the National Anthropology Museum

Make tracks for Room III, where display cabinets contain intriguing physical anthropology specimens, including a tattooed Maori funerary mask and a skull from the Philippines with medical lesions. Elsewhere, notable exhibits include 19th-century akong games from West Africa and examples of the ornate traditional dress of the Lakota Native American peoples.