Madrid museums and exhibitions

Museums & Exhibitions Madrid

Museums in Madrid are some of the best in the world. Whether you want to check out Spanish classics at El Prado Museum, contemporary art at the Reina Sofía Museum, or a bit of both worlds at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, our comprehensive guide to museums in Madrid will give you an informative overview.

Photo of the Day

Exhibitions in Madrid

Igor Mitoraj continues to display his sculpture along Paseo del Prado just down the street from the Madrid Ritz - near Atocha Station at the entrance to Retiro. Sponsored by Caixa Forum.

March in review

Check Out All Events in March

March was a busy month full of tapas bars, restaurants and flamenco.
For a peek into the real flamenco scene, see our feature, Flamenco 101- A Lesson in Life . For suggestions on where to catch a bit of flamenco action, see our flamenco page.
...

photo of the day

Las Fallas Shine in Valencia

One of the many large-scale "ninots" (puppets) created to be destroyed by fire in Valencia's "Las Fallas" celebration. See story for details.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Epic Biblical Drama Revisits Madrid

If anything can reignite the sheer terror of Biblical events, it’s Easter in Spain. Between Palm and Easter Sundays...

Photo of the Day

History of Revolution

In memory of the 200th anniversary of Spanish Independence from France, year-long exhibitions are being held. See article for details.

Madrid in Film History

Madrid in Film History - Skip the Exhibit but Read this List

According to Así es Madrid…en el cine, an exhibition of Madrid in film, around 300 films have been shot in Madrid so far. Not as impressive as New York, London or Paris, they say...

photo of the day

Spanish Film History

Poster link. Until March 11th there's an exhbiit on Madrid in film. Read the review before rushing heading out - it's a bit bare bones.

culture/history - Italian Sculpture Chosen by Velásquez

Velásquez on a Spending Spree!

Have you ever been to Rome or The Vatican and had the irrational urge to start buying up sculpture and take it home? The Bronze Lion? “I’ll take it.” The Cabeza de Apolo? “Give me two.” The Cabeza de Safo? “Yes, I’ll buy two of these as well.” Well, Diego...

culture/history - Rome Exhibit

There's No Place Like Rome – The Madrid Exhibit

At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from Great Britain to the north of Africa and from Syria to Spain. Trajan, a Spaniard, even ruled the Empire briefly. In addition to the infamous gladiator...

photography - Luis Ramon Marin

Photojournalism Exhibit of Madrid - Final days

Warning! The arts guides posted the wrong closing date for this event. Apologize to anyone who tried to go. We tried to go twice before we figured it out.

Here’s one not to miss. The images of photojournalist Luis Ramon Marin are on exhibit until Monday the 21st of January. The best news is that you don’t have to go out of your...

photo of the day

Madrid Photojournalism: Luis Ramón Marín

The work of Luis Ramón Marín is on Exhibit until the 21st of January. See review for details.

art - Mapplethorpe

Mapplethorpe - Classic or Cliche?

Mapplethorpe has hit Madrid. Although your immediate reaction might be “been there, done that” assuming you don’t need to see any more of this all-too-familiar work. That, ironically, may be just the reason to go. The photos, no longer caught in the crosshairs of controversy, can’t rely on shock value...

exhibit - photojournalism

Life after Land Mines

With the current anti-land-mine budget, it would take as many as 1,000 years to dismantle the millions of land mines planted across the world. This is just one of the facts that lodges itself in your mind as you visit the “Vidas Minadas” exposition at the Instituto Cervantes. The exhibit, covering the horror of land mines throughout the world, is based on the book of the same title. This is the latest contibution by the...

art - ice sculpture

Mystery Solved: Missing Polar Ice Turns up in Madrid!

Ironically, as the ice caps are disappearing from the poles they are turning up in… sunny Spain? Nearly 300 tons of it, anyway. This inversion is not the wayward effect of global warming - it is all in the name of art. If you’d like to catch just a bit of the arctic this season...

Art - Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol - Artistic or Autistic?

Due to his soup-can choice of subject matter and bizarre persona, the perennial question with Warhol is “Was he taking the piss?” It is, after all, a valid question for a man who actually urinated on an entire series of canvasses to achieve certain color effects...

politics/history - Photography exhibit

An Entire War Stuffed into a Suitcase

How we see the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) today is greatly influenced by a suitcase, a Leica and 36 years of patience. Centro Cultural Conde Duque has organised an exhibit on Agustí Centelles, photographer of cabarets, nightlife and ad campaigns...

art - Mad is Mad

The Art of Irony - Mad is Mad's Autumn Show

“Irony” was the unofficial theme of the evening at the Mad is Mad's Autumn Collective Show. Upon entering one was greeted by a series of Disney drawings gone pornographic: elaborate recreations of these world-famous characters – their heads all replaced with giant phalluses (by Jorge Gonzalez). This set the tone and, interestingly enough...

Photography - the 20th century

The Círculo de Bellas Artes Tackles the Entire 20th Century and Wins! (More or Less)

I saw that the Círculo de Bellas Artes was putting on an exhibit called Leading Moments: Photography in the 20th Century and I thought: "All of the 20th century?" An ambitious goal to be sure, but an...

Madrid Museums - La Reina Sofia

The Reina Sofia - The Epicenter of Modern Art

Nestled amidst the bustling city of Madrid is that sanctuary of modern art known as La Reina Sofia. The museum is host to a truly wide-ranging permanent collection as well as visiting exhibits from around the world. Their most notable collections include that of Picasso, especially the renowned...

Cinema in Madrid

Cine Doré and The Filmoteca - for the Rarified, the Arty, the Quirky, the Camp and the Profound!

A true Madrileño weekend consists of the 5 C’s: Cañas, Clubbing, Chilling in Retiro and Caressing in a Cinema. In...

Our Suggestions

Let the (MAP) Force Guide You!

The following will read like a crash course in Madrid culture. No matter what your concerns, questions or proclivities, we think you’ll be able to find something to suit your lifestyle in our medley of suggestions. As you read through the items, if you don't find what you need, check the search box at the right. If you still can't find what you are looking for, go ahead and drop us a line and we’ll try to help you out.

Markets - The Rastro

The Bloody History of the Rastro

The Rastro, Madrid’s largest outdoor market can only be described as “a universe unto itself”. With origins that stretch back nearly five centuries, one can only imagine the plentitude of traditions surrounding this massive Sunday event...

History

Celebrating a Dictator’s Death in a Ballroom

The first image of Prime Minister Arías Navarros on TV solemnly announcing: “Españoles, Franco...ha...muerto” is also the calmest one in the collection of photos, posters and artifacts that the Circulo de Bellas Artes has put together to commemorate the 7 years following the dictator’s death.