National Anthropology Museum
- Ideal for kids, teens
Sign up free — See who's going and message them.
Is this your place? Get the badge for your websiteAbout
Why go
- Francisco de Cubas’s purpose-built home and museum for founder Pedro González de Velasco.
Opening hours
Today09:30 – 20:00Show all
Don't miss
- Asia hallDiscover its Philippine focus and objects from the 1885 exhibition in nearby Retiro Park.Ground floor
- Africa hallLook for the prominent representation of Equatorial Guinea’s culture.First floor
- Americas hallExplore Indigenous cultures through Andean Carnival masks and Inuit sun goggles.Second floor
Know before you go
- English leaflets on each floor explain exhibits described in Spanish.
- A permanent exhibition can be explored from home.
What's inside
- The displays include artefacts and models from Indigenous peoples of Asia, Africa and the Americas; much of the Asian collection comes from the Philippines.
- Ground-floor rooms host temporary exhibitions.
With kids
- The museum offers activities for children and families on site, plus digital family activities to do from home.
Tips for your visit
- Exhibit descriptions are in Spanish; English explanatory leaflets are available on each floor.
- Explore the permanent exhibition online before or after your visit.
Interesting facts4
Shorts
-
Los Secretos del Museo Nacional de Antropología | Celebrando la Grand…Victorius Noticias
-
Cosas perturbadoras sobre el Museo de Antropología e HistoriaEl BabyRanulf
-
🏛️✨ En este episodio de Latitud Cultural visitamos el Museo Nacional …Tele Urban
-
Museo Nacional de Antropología(National Anthropology Museum), CDMX🇲🇽 …YoongYoong
-
Visiting Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology – Sun Stone, A…Jay and Himani
-
Agustín, el gigante extremeño estrella del Museo Nacional de Antropol…Telemadrid
History
Pedro González de Velasco founded the museum for his scientific and anatomical collections. Its original plan was modelled on the British Museum in London, and its focus later shifted from physical to cultural anthropology.
- 1875King Alfonso XII inaugurated it on 29 April as the Anatomical Museum.
- 1887The state bought the building and collections from Velasco’s widow.
- 1901–1902The museum presented material about Spanish customs.
- 1962The museum received cultural heritage status in the monuments category.
- 1993It regained the name National Museum of Anthropology.
Show all
- 2022The museum published a commitment charter on the display, access, care, loans and acquisition of human remains.
- TodayThe permanent room displaying some human remains has been dismantled, following the museum’s commitment on their treatment.
How to get there
- TrainThe museum is opposite Atocha railway station, at 68 Calle Alfonso XII.
Sources: National Museum of Anthropology (Madrid) - Wiki… · Madrid/Retiro-Paseo del Arte - Wikivoyage (see) · Inicio - MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA | Minis… · Visitantes - MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA | M… · EL 2017 CIERRA CON UN ONCE POR CIENTO DE VISITA… · Museo Nacional de Antropología (España) - Wikip… · Musée national d'anthropologie (Madrid) - Wikip… · Actividades infantiles y para familias - MUSEO … · #Familias3.0 - MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA |… · checked 4 Oct 2026
- Phone
- +34 915 30 64 18
Questions and answers
Does the National Anthropology Museum’s collection include material about Spain?
Yes. It includes material about Spanish customs from 1901–1902.
Are all the National Anthropology Museum’s collections displayed?
Only about 4% of the collections are shown in the permanent galleries.
Why did the National Anthropology Museum change its human-remains displays?
After publishing its 2022 commitment on the treatment of human remains, the museum dismantled the permanent room displaying some of them.
What was the National Anthropology Museum originally called?
It opened as the Anatomical Museum on 29 April 1875.
- See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
- Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
- Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.