Exhibitions in Madrid, a city full of art and innovation, are one of the central pillars of its wide cultural offer. From renowned museums to independent art galleries, as well as other less conventional exhibition spaces, the possibilities in terms of exhibitions – in this case, for the month of January – are practically endless.
That’s why every month we make a selection of the must-see exhibitions you can’t miss in Madrid. Photography, painting, contemporary art, sensory and immersive experiences? There is a lot to choose from and a lot to discover.
Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes
If you are passionate about the Marvel universe and you are one of those who stay faithfully until the post-credits scene every time you go to see one of their movies at the cinema… this is your exhibition. An immersive proposal where you will find more than 200 original pieces of the franchise. And the fact is that 85 years of journey give a lot: from first editions of comics to the costumes that some of the protagonists have worn in the movies and recreations of some of the characters with which you can take a selfie.
🗓️ From November 15, 2024
📍Location: Pavilion 2 of IFEMA Madrid (Avenida Partenón, 5)
2. From the toy to the sky
This exhibition unveils to the public more than 500 pieces that give an account of the evolution of the game in the last hundred years, from wooden trains and tin boats to porcelain dolls. The exhibition, entitled Del juguete al cielo (From toys to heaven), brings together unique treasures belonging to two great Spanish collectors. A tribute to childhood and the lifestyles of bygone eras, with special dedication to toys made in Madrid.
📍Location: Room 1 of the Conde Duque Cultural Center (Calle del Conde Duque, 11).
🗓️ Dates:until March 9, 2025
3. Alex Katz
The Centro de Arte Contemporáneo López de la Serna hosts an exhibition dedicated to American artist Alex Katz (Brooklyn, 1927). A journey through his career that spans from 1975 to the early 2010s through a dozen works that show his unmistakable style and two recurring themes in his production: the female presence and the natural spaces of Maine. All, moreover, in large format.
📍Location: Lopez de la Serna Contemporary Art Center (Guecho Street, 12, B-C. Moncloa – Aravaca).
🗓️ Dates: December 3, 2024 to March 14, 2025
4. The Legend of the Titanic. The immersive exhibition
Films, series, documentaries and books have been made about the Titanic. Its story has been told in many ways, but this inexhaustible tale now comes to the capital in the form of an immersive exhibition at Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD). Immersing oneself in a meticulous recreation of the first and third class cabins or experiencing first-hand the last song played by that orchestra are some of the experiences that this exhibition will offer to the visiting public.
🗓️ Dates: until February 2, 2025
📍Location: Nave 16 of Matadero Madrid (Plaza de Legazpi, 8)
5. Museum of Happiness
From laughter machines to walls where you can share with others the things that make you happy. The Museum of Happiness (MüF) is 20 immersive experiences in one where you can not only know but also experience everything that has to do with happiness throughout its different rooms: a space to de-stress, a magic show and even a hugometer.
🗓️ Dates:all month long
📍Location: Ronda de Valencia, 8 (next to the Casa Encendida).
6. Tomorrowland: an immersive exhibition
More than an exhibition, the Tomorrowland Immersive Experience is a universe of its own, alive, of pure imagination. It is a large installation (in the Crystal Room of the WiZink Center) that pays homage to the Tomorrowland festival. All through cutting-edge technology and digital art installations. The goal is to know the essence of the Belgian festival (relaxed atmosphere, pure twinning, respect …) but also the artistic work that each year develops the event team. Pure creativity, art, light, color, magic: the worlds of Tomorrowland change from year to year and you can enjoy them in this immersive exhibition all month long.
🗓️ Dates:Monday to Friday from 5.30pm. Saturdays and Sundays from 10am. Special opening hours on holidays and Christmas.
📍 Location: Crystal Room of WiZink Center: Calle Fuente del Berro 50, Puerta 50 Avenida de Felipe, II (Salamanca).
💸 Admission: from 18,50€. Special prices for children, families and groups.
7. The first lightning that lasts 100 years
The Casa de Vacas del Retiro is hosting an exhibition on the occasion of the centenary of Rayo Vallecano, the neighborhood soccer team that in 2024 celebrated a century of history. The legacy of the club -which is characterized, among many other things, by its values- is explained through the neighborhood of Vallecas itself, the origins of the club and also the women who have been part of its history.
🗓️ Dates: January 3 to 26, 2025
📍Location: Casa de Vacas Cultural Center (Paseo de Colombia, inside El Retiro).
8. The Tyranny of Cronos
Among the must-see exhibitions of the month is this proposal from the Banco de España: a selection of more than 50 works -among which there are tapestries, paintings, sculptures, photographs and clocks- “that question and transgress the hegemonic conception of time in Western society,” the institution points out. In addition, the two latest additions to the Bank’s Portrait Gallery -the first in photographic format- can also be seen: the portraits that Annie Leibovitz has taken of the kings of Spain.
🗓️ Dates: from November 27 to March 29, 2025
📍Location: Exhibition Hall of the Banco de España (Calle de Alcalá, 48).
9. Banksy Museum
After leaving his mark in Barcelona, now opens a second Banksy Museum in Madrid. Located very close to the Acacias subway stop, this new Madrid museum hosts a permanent exhibition with more than 170 replicas of Banksy’s most iconic works, such as Banksy’s Rage, the flower thrower or the girl with the red balloon. This space serves as a tribute to the figure of one of the most prestigious street art artists in the world.
🗓️ Dates:every day from 10:00 to 20:00 (last access at 19:15).
📍Location:paseo de la Esperanza, 1 (Arganzuela)
10. Bodies
Something unknown to many is what lies beneath the skin. We can learn a lot from an anatomy book, but there is nothing like seeing it with our own eyes. This is Bodies, a surprising exhibition that brings to the Rivas Centro Shopping Center 8 complete bodies and hundreds of organs preserved thanks to the plastination technique.
📍 Location: Plaza de la Constitución, 2(Rivas Centro Shopping Center, Rivas-Vaciamadrid)
💸 Tickets: from 12€.
11. Masaveu Collection. Spanish Art of the 20th century. From Picasso to Barceló
Dalí, Picasso, Miró and Laffón star in this free exhibition that brings together some of the most outstanding paintings and sculptures of the last century. Works by artists who influenced the course of art a century ago and that can now be seen by the public for the first time. They come from the Masaveu Collection, the FMCMP and the private collection of Fernando Masaveu.
🗓️ From October 9, 2024 to July 20, 2025
📍Location: María Cristina Masaveu Foundation (Alcalá Galiano, 6)
12. Gabriele Münter. The great expressionist painter
The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, in its commitment to exhibitions that make visible the work of women artists, presents the first retrospective in Spain of Gabriele Münter, one of the founders of the expressionist group The Blue Rider. The exhibition shows more than 100 works that cover the different creative stages of the Berliner, from her beginnings as a photographer to her expressionist period and the years after the First World War. A unique opportunity to discover the work of this influential 20th century artist.
📍Location: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza (paseo del Prado, 8)
🗓️ Dates: From November 12, 2024 to February 9, 2025
13. Harry Potter: The Exhibition
Enter the mythical Hogwarts dining room or see up close the authentic costumes and props from the films of the saga. Harry Potter fans are in luck because this month comes to Madrid one of the most anticipated immersive exhibitions with “exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and fun interactive surprises”, as well as recreations of scenes and environments that are in the memory of several generations of viewers.
🗓️ Dates: through March 16, 2025.
📍Location: Espacio Ibercaja Delicias (Paseo de las Delicias, 61, Madrid. Access from the side of the Railway Museum of Madrid).
14. Sweet Space
10 interactive themed rooms and a world of sweets and color to discover. That is the bet of Sweet Space: to offer an immersive experience that involves all the senses, especially taste. A sense that you can put to the test, for example, in its ice cream laboratory. The different scenarios of the tour have been designed by artists of the stature of Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada to create a unique world and, without a doubt, instagrammable.
🗓️ Choose date when buying your ticket
📍Location: ABC Serrano (Serrano Street, 61)
15. The 100 meters free: Life and miracles of the Film School (1947-1976)
The Escuela de Cine was a key institution for the seventh art in our country: it was there that great filmmakers of the second half of the 20th century such as Berlanga, Cecilia Bartolomé, Josefina Molina, Víctor Erice, Pilar Miró or Iván Zulueta were trained. This exhibition, curated by Asier Aranzubia Cob, serves as a tribute to what was a space of freedom for these creators, where they were able to experiment and dodge the censorship of Franco’s regime.
🗓️ From October 4, 2024 to April 27, 2025
📍Location: Exhibition Hall of the Filmoteca Española (Calle de La Magdalena, 10).
16. The Neverending Story according to Colin Arthur
Among the exhibitions that can be enjoyed this month is the free exhibition that the Centro de Arte Tomás y Valiente de Fuenlabrada (CEART) is dedicating to The Neverending Story to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its premiere. The exhibition features original pieces and reproductions of the iconic characters created by Colin Arthur, such as Fújur and Gmork. In addition to the exhibition, there will be a special lecture and a screening of the film, offering a complete experience for fans of this masterpiece of fantastic cinema.
📍Location: CEART Fuenlabrada (Calle Leganés, 51)
🗓️ Dates: From October 25, 2024 to February 2, 2025
17. A botanical walk through the Prado Museum
The Prado Museum offers a thematic tour focused on botany to bring visitors closer to more than 40 species of plants and flowers represented in 26 works by renowned artists. The itinerary, designed by Eduardo Barba Gómez -gardener and botanical researcher in works of art-, reveals the importance and significance of botany in works ranging from Roman sculpture to early 18th century painting.
📍 Location: Calle Ruiz de Alarcón, s/n (Los Jerónimos/Retiro)
🗓️ Dates: October 28, 2024 to March 30, 2025
18. Goya x Lita Cabellut. Los Disparates
Two artists in dialogue through time and different artistic expressions, taking Goya’ s ‘Los Disparates ‘ as a starting point. With them as a reference, and trying to capture the concerns that led the Aragonese artist to make them, Cabellut has created a series of pieces in which he reflects on issues such as fear, envy, friendship, love, loyalty, violence, chaos, power …. But always leaving room for hope in one of the most stimulating exhibitions of the season.
📍 Location: San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts (Calle de Alcalá, 13).
🗓️ Dates: October 30, 2024 to January 26, 2025
19. 15 major works by Jaume Plensa
Jaume Plensa, one of Spain’s most internationally influential artists, exhibits 15 of his best works at Espacio Fundación Telefónica. The sculptor presents a journey through his 30-year career, from the 1990s to the present. The exhibition is a reflection on the importance of the inner world, cultural diversity and femininity, constant themes in his work.
🗓️ Dates: until May 4, 2025.
📍Location: Espacio Fundación Telefónica (Fuencarral, 3).
20. Lorenzo Caprile
A must for fashion lovers… and it’s also free. This exhibition takes a journey through the couturier’s career not only through his garments, but also through other objects and references that have inspired him to create his immortal designs. Photographs and paintings will also be added to the exhibition.
🗓️ From October 16, 2024 to March 30, 2025
📍Location: Canal Isabel II Hall (Santa Engracia, 125)
21. Afal Magazine. Small and free
Serrería Belga dedicates an exhibition to the magazine Afal, founded by José María Artero and Carlos Pérez Siquier from Almería, to highlight its role as a showcase for the best Spanish photographers of the post-war period beyond the borders of our country. The tour covers the 36 issues of the magazine that were published and includes snapshots of some of its most representative members, such as Joan Colom, Gabriel Cualladó or Ramón Masats. It also has a space reserved for “the few women who participated in the magazine”.
🗓️ Dates: until February 23, 2025.
📍Location: Serrería Belga Cultural Space (Calle de la Alameda, 15).
22. Low houses
One of the region’s most widely shown exhibitions: Santi Vaquero’s photographic exhibition, which documents daily life, neighborhood struggles and the impact of demolition in Madrid’s Palomeras neighborhood, in Vallecas. The images, taken with his Nikon FM, capture unique moments such as youth parties and the arrival of the bulldozers. In collaboration with the collective La Liminal, this exhibition also reflects on the memory of social struggles in Madrid. It can be visited at the Centro de Creación Contemporánea Quinta del Sordo until May 2025.
📍Location: Quinta del Sordo Contemporary Creation Center (Rosario Street, 15)
🗓️ Dates: Until May 30, 2025
23. Layers
The free exhibition Capas, by Madrid-based photographer Miguel Fonta, invites us to reflect on architecture as a “container of memories and emotions.” Through his work, Fonta portrays buildings as more than simple structures, showing how each facade and corner encloses experiences and traces of time. An opportunity to see that a building is always much more than just that and one of the ideal exhibitions for those who love architecture in Madrid.
📍Location: flora&fauno (Divino Pastor street, 24)
🗓️ Dates:until January 29, 2025
24. Faces of Turuñuelo
The National Archaeological Museum presents a fascinating exhibition that brings us closer to the Tartessian civilization through five millenary sculptures discovered in Badajoz. These figures, carved more than 4,500 years ago, stand out for their unique details, such as diadems, earrings or the representation of braided hair. In April 2023, these sculptures were found at the site of Casas del Turuñuelo, and are now on display restored in the new Archaeological Novelties Room. The exhibition also includes posters and videos that provide historical context.
📍Location: National Archaeological Museum (MAN) (Calle de Serrano, 13)
🗓️ Dates:until February 2, 2025
25. Madrid Shop Windows: an artistic journey through centenary stores
A free exhibition that pays tribute to the centenary stores of Madrid, showing its history and its importance in the collective memory of the city. Madrid Shop Windows: an artistic journey through centenary stores brings together 62 drawings by urban artists that portray emblematic establishments such as the Sobrino de Botín restaurant or the San Ginés bookstore, among others. The exhibition will be open until March 1, 2025 at the Clara del Rey Cultural Center.
📍Location: Clara del Rey Cultural Center (Calle de Amaniel, 29).
🗓️ Dates:until March 1, 2025
And if you prefer to see free exhibitions at night…
Temporary exhibitions at the Thyssen
The Thyssen is another of the museums that offers free night visits on weekends, specifically on Saturdays, to see its temporary exhibitions on the first floor and floor -1 at zero cost from 9pm to 11pm. Access is free until full capacity is reached and this initiative will continue throughout 2025. On the other hand, when there is no temporary exhibition on the ground floor, the Carmen Thyssen Collection will be open.
📍Location:Paseo del Prado, 8 (Cortes/Centro)