Only until the end of October, the skeleton of the “Extremeño Giant“, a man who reached 2.35 meters in the 19th century, ritual figures, Amazonian musical instruments or a spectacular collection of African masks and voodoo pieces from Haiti can be seen for free in Madrid.
All of them can be found in the National Museum of Anthropology, which offers free admission to the permanent exhibition until October 31 for the 150th anniversary of its creation. This is an initiative of the Ministry of Culture to bring the samples of culture from the 5 continents housed in this museum closer to the population.
The building is located very close to Atocha and Paseo del Arte, at Calle Alfonso XII, 68. It can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The museum will be open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.. On Mondays it will be closed for maintenance and care of both the temporary and permanent exhibitions.
150 years of history
The museum was inaugurated under the name “Museo Anatómico” in April 1975, under the reign of Alfonso XII. It was an initiative of the Segovian doctor Pedro González de Velasco, who wanted to exhibit his collection of anatomy, natural history and ethnography objects. After his death, the building was acquired by the State and its exhibits were gradually enlarged.
In 1993 it adopted its current name, National Museum of Anthropology, and now has more than 7,900 pieces. Its collections include samples of the material culture of different peoples of Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, especially those that have had links with Spanish history.
What to see at theNational Museum of Anthropology
Visitors to the museum can learn about the similarities and differences between cultures, not only through tools, but also oil paintings, watercolors, engravings, lithographs and photographs. Among the works on display are African ritual objects,deformed skulls from Peru and Bolivia, 19th century Philippine objects and the 5th century Gandhara Buddha head.
On the other hand, the Museum updates its activities every two months to offer new experiences in each visit. It organizes workshops and activities for families, which must be booked through the website and which relate everyday issues such as food with cultural identities. On the other hand, they also offer guided tours for adults and dramatized tours with themes such as women’s suffrage.
Just for a while: ecosystems and busts
The temporary exhibition Tantos mundos en este by Marina Núñez reflects on the influence of human beings on ecosystems and on a globalized planet. It will be on view from October 11, 2025 to January 25, 2026 and highlights a large work located on the floor under the central vault of the museum. Through a mosaic of almost 300 printed tiles, the artist depicts a “map” of a globalized and wounded Earth, inviting viewers to reflect on the world and to reflect on the world around them.
On the other hand, the exhibition The Invention of Races: Busts, Phrenology and Racial Classifications has been at the museum since April 29 and is still accessible. It presents a collection of busts that, unlike those in common artistic use, were created to support racist theories in the 19th and 20th centuries. It makes a critical review of the false foundations that were used and the consequences they had for non-European peoples.