The Museum of the Americas is a fascinating museum dedicated to the early history of North and South America. Despite its low entrance fee, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the exhibits. The collection is impressive and appeals to both history enthusiasts and casual visitors. Even during the peak season, there were very few people, allowing for a more intimate experience. However, it is important to note that all signs and information are in Spanish, so having a translation app, like Google Translate, is helpful. The museum offers free admission on Sundays and late on Thursdays, making it even more accessible. Downloading the audio track from their website is recommended, although the organization of the audio tour could be clearer. Overall, it is an excellent museum, although it may not be the top choice for those seeking a comprehensive understanding of Spanish history or the empire. The museum does have some outdated displays and interpretations, but it still offers an interesting collection of artifacts. There are a few points of improvement, such as providing English translations and updating the labels and descriptions to be more culturally sensitive. Despite these flaws, the museum is still worth a visit, especially for those interested in the history and culture of the Americas.
Address:
Avenida de los Reyes Católicos, 6, Madrid
Phone:
+34 915 49 26 41
Comment
31.07.23
This museum was really good!
Considering it's low entrance fee(4 or 5€) and really "ancient" website I was afraid that it's not worth the tour. And so.. Read more » wrong I was! I only had two hours and regretted deeply that I didn't make more time for it and it was closing.
Amazing collection, even for those who are not history geeks. Also, very few people, even though it's highest season (July).
Bevare that all of the signs and information are in Spanish, and lots of it is really interesting, so make sure you have Google translate app with you, so that you can take pics and translate.
I will definitely come back!
22.07.23
This is a really cool museum dedicated to an early history of the North and South America. Anything from post-Ice-age archeological discoveries to the.. Read more » Columbus times.
Advice - come on Sunday, or late on Thursday to get a free admission. Also download the audio track from their website and listen it from your smartphone - bring your own headphones with you. (See in the description for the website.)
The reason I took away one star is two fold:
1. Even though this is a museum dedicated to the history of the Americas, all their inscriptions for exhibits are exclusively in Spanish. They clearly didn't think about American tourists.
2. The audio track (although it is available in English) it is somewhat confusing - where to start listening and how is it connected to each room. That part needs to be more clear.
Otherwise it's an excellent museum.
09.07.23
I have to say I was disappointed, but I visited this near the end of my trip. A nice collection of artifacts form the Americas. However the displays (.. Read more »and interpretations) are outdated. I would say visit here first if you know nothing about Spanish history or the empire. But then visit the national archeological (M.A.N.) and anthropological and history museums... a little more up to date.
04.06.23
Very interesting museum to say the least. Didn’t really contextualize pieces, and everything was in Spanish (which was fine). Lot of strange pieces re.. Read more »garding race and Latin America. Probably not a top museum destination if you’re visiting Madrid.
05.03.23
Many nice artifacts. The timelines of migrations, cultures, explorations, conquests, and colonization is well represented. The displays are well done... Read more » The building and staff are pleasant.
I would give this museum a higher rating except that for all it gives, it still misses out on a very important historical lesson. There are many paintings of the very racist caste system in the Americas during the colonial period. It has many paintings showing the labels a child has depending upon the portions of their ethnic background from European, African, and indigenous. A contextual label regarding this ridiculous obsession being something our society has outgrown would be very helpful. Additionally, labelling so many items as "Indio" instead of indigenous is very outdated and a bit racist. I am sure thousands of schoolchildren come here on school field trips. Updating a few of the placards to these items can only be positive in the education of people.
19.02.23
I didn’t expect so many artefacts from mezoamerica. Museum is huge so take your time. During summer is good to relax in garden.
If you want free entr.. Read more »y, ask in tourist point when to visit museum for free, they will tell you everything.
20.01.23
This is a museum that should not be on your top visit list in Madrid, simply because the number of exhibits are in a small scale.
Dissatisfied points.. Read more »:
1. The interior exhibition language is Spanish-only. There is no audio guide avalible. You may have to download the touring APP via the QR code at the front gate.
2. The exhibit objects are relatively normal without any highlights. Many exhibited objects and knowledge are very basic; you can simply learn them from Google.
Satisfied points:
1. The ticket is free.
2. Nice staffs
14.09.22
Fabulous! I had one of the best guided tours by Magdalena, a charming very knowledgeable person who explained lots of extremely interesting aspects ab.. Read more »out five different indigenous women's culture. Honouring the International Day of the Indigenous Women.
11.09.22
Perfect. My favorite museum of all Madrid. This one has a deep significance and cultivate the locals and the tourists who need to see the story of the.. Read more » inhabitants of the American continent. Long ago before the Spanish, the French, the Portuguese and the British came to upheld everything in America. I loved to discover all the population culture. It's very well presented and provide the necessary information to understand everything. All of that for free each Sunday. What could we ask more ?
02.07.22
I had visited this museum a few years back and there was a lot more about the nasty bits the Spaniards did to the natives. Looks like that was mostly .. Read more »removed. Also, no English translation, which narrows the audience. Still, I think it is worth a visit for an hour or two.
01.07.22
Free for students, so many exhibits for different themes separated by north and south america, two floors with several rooms each. informative and art.. Read more »istic. must see. shrunken heads were my favorite.
15.06.22
Very interesting museum covering the pre and post colonisation cultures of the Americas. Lots of useful background information about the local people,.. Read more » coupled with artefacts, maps and cultural insights. It's an underrated museum in my view, the info here is well presented, and it's not crowded, allowing you to sip in the knowledge at your own pace.
16.01.22
A very interesting museum, not in the center of the city but easy to reach by public transport. Several priceless objects to admire, with a broad scop.. Read more »e of North, Central and South America
04.12.21
There is a lot here. I went twice. Once for each floor. Otherwise, for me, it was too much for one go
Amazing and extensive collection. Esp, for me, .. Read more »the wax figurines on the upper floor
Quite an extemporaneous mix of European-influence religious art and native , non-Christian works
30.10.21
Great museum. The only downside is that there is only information in Spanish. Normally there is an English translation in most museums. As my Spanish .. Read more »is only okay and I'm nowhere near fluent I didn't understand everything clearly, which ruined the experience slightly, which is why I couldn't give it 5 stars
08.09.21
For such a magnificent museum displaying artefacts from many different parts of the world, it’s very unfortunate that there isn’t – like other museums.. Read more » in Spain and other non-English speaking countries - information written in English alongside the Spanish descriptions.
Fascinating place that I would send the whole day if information was available to understand/ learn more. ????
28.08.21
Huge array of artefacts to look at with lots of contextually material, but unfortunately only in Spanish. There's an English guide you can download bu.. Read more »t I couldn't make it work on my phone.
The displays are organised into thoughtful themes and there are some pretty amazing things to see, like shrunken human heads and a Peruvian mummy as well as incredible gold objects, tapestries woven from feathers. A really amazing visit and free till the end of September.
23.08.21
Nothing spectacular. The Mayan codices they have on display are only copies (which you can buy in the gift shop for a few thousand euros.) Very good f.. Read more »or comparing the different types of ceramics from the region's people. Lovely feather cape from Vancouver was one of my favourites.
11.07.21
It's a bit far, but really worth it, if you are interested in the Spanish ex colonials! You can find there authentic sculptures and things brought fro.. Read more »m the American continents and preserved in very good conditions. I find very interesting originals of maps and early cartography of the Americas, as well as reconstructions of indian houses
09.07.21
Wonderful museum with incredible pieces.
It should be much more promoted.
If you comme to Madrid for a short or a long stay it’s definitely a place wh.. Read more »ere you should go.
13.06.21
Very nice museum, quiet, good explained and good items. A good option to came back and discover the New Land ?
17.05.21
Very well maintained Meuseum. Detailed, knowledge and learning about Americas and its connection to Spain. Can be fine on 2 to 3 hours, but if you are.. Read more » interested in details 6 to 7 hours is still short. Good for children.
05.05.21
The musuem treads lightly on the matter of colonialism, it presents exhibitions by regions yet the artifacts come from some countries that barely repr.. Read more »esent the region, and what is more - the Museum showcases some pictures that are clearly offensive to Latin American communities. I reached out to them to ask why and they said they did not believe said pictures were racist.
31.03.21
We were really looking forward to visiting this museum, unfortunately it's not a good museum for anyone who doesn't speak Spanish. There is no informa.. Read more »tion in English (or any other language). You can go on a website to listen to a couple of audio guides for the entire museum but the website is only in Spanish! There are buttons in certain areas to press for visual presentations but they didn't work. Also, the displays are not child friendly, as all the little notes for the historical items are written up high and in a small italic font. In addition, some objects were enclosed in cupboards with distorted glass in front, so you couldn't see the objects clearly. There are so many incredible items in this location and it's full of history, however, you'll walk out learning nothing if you don't speak Spanish.
27.02.21
Somewhat disappointing. The collection is organized according to loose themes which puts together items that are thousands of years and kilometers apa.. Read more »rt. The very first sentence of the exhibition saying the first descriptions of the Americas were spread in 1493 shows a fairly unreconstructed colonial mindset. No critical discussion of colonialism and unfortunately very little insight into the various cultures. Instead we get vague generalising anthropological statements summarizing vastly different cultures. It all feels a bit old-fashioned.
16.01.21
Good to learn about Latin America but the collection is not vast!
05.08.20
Museum with a lot of history about the new continent. It is worth visiting at least once
04.08.20
Good museum with a very interesting collection. Takes about 2 hours to finish if you don't linger too much. Text is only in spanish but with the googl.. Read more »e translator app and its camera function I understood everything.
20.05.20
it's worthly to visit that museum to see history from indians latin american and cetral american. They offer an extensive collection from maya and inc.. Read more »a empire and of course the spanish when they went to explore this continent.
06.04.20
It's a shame that the items found here aren't in their respective countries, but at least they are safe and taken care of. A bit out of the way, but w.. Read more »orth it. You can easily spend a fu day here admiring and appreciating everything. I just wished that they would include information on the devestating consequences of colinization.
17.02.20
As other reviewers have mentioned, this museum is really oriented toward the average tourist mainly because much of the information, actually the vast.. Read more » majority of it is in Spanish only. I did wonder if there was an audio guide for non speakings, but it was never offered to me at reception. The staff did give me a sheet with a map of the museum and a route that was something akin to a highlights tour of the museum
I love history and art, so the visit was still enjoyable. Some of the artefact on display are lovingly exhibited like any great museum. Some stand out examples includethe paintings depicting the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the Tro-Cortesian Mayan codex, the decorative gold jewellery from Mesoamerica. Funnily enough, the museum isn't just about the Americas, there's a small oriental connection as well as a fascinating collection of masks from Australasia.
The Museo de America is a fantastic museum. Pity there's no english and it's hard to place items in context when there's no explanation, otherwise I'd give it a higher score.
20.12.19
Cheap museum in a beautiful building. Only English translations are in the temporary exhibits, but the visuals alone are worth the 3 Euros admission p.. Read more »rice. Absolutely recommend! Can be seen in two hours or so, but you can spend more time there if you speak Spanish.
4.2 / 32
