I love history and museums. However, I am not a huge fan of prehistory. I can't get fully onboard…read morewith the objectivity of such subjective items. Nevertheless, this was a good experience and our tour guide made it even better. The museum is packed with objects, most of which are authentic and not replicas. There are even some objects that are on display that are known fakes. There story behind them and how the museum acquired such objects is interesting. The best part was the digital display that overlays a topographical map of the Iberian peninsula. It tells the story of the Iberian migration of peoples over the centuries. Overall, not a bad museum, kind of boring in some areas but still a good experience.

One of the finest archeology museums anywhere. Every artificact here is from the Iberian…read morepenninsula or excavated by Spanish Archeologists. Good explanations from either physical or cultural anthropology, very up to date information on the evolution of humans. The descriptions and explanations are truly excellent. If you start downstairs you can work your way up in time from milliions of years ago to early modernity. Check for free concerts and lectures, I saw an interesting and talented saxophone quartet in the evening.

If you're into natural history or architecture, visit this free museum. Open an hour or two before…read moremost museums on Sunday, I went right at 9am and had the entire museum mostly to myself. It's free, but make sure you have a passport or form of I.D. (My U.S. driver's license worked.) You'll need it at security. After security, go upstairs through the grand staircase to the actual museum. There's an exhibit about the history of the museum, displays in the hallways, and clean restrooms. The main character is the great hall with its wooden floors, glass ceiling, and spiral staircase going up two levels. Each level has fossils, rocks, gems, and more. Kids will love the T-Rex skull on the second floor. Adults (and some kids) will love the architecture. With an open room and painted glass ceiling, it's stunning- a photographer's dream. This place was built a long time ago to support Spain's mining industry and vintage comes through.

A beautiful and interesting museum off the beaten track. If you're in town for more than a few days…read moreor have kids who are starting to roll their eyes at art museums, this is a great change of pace. It's free, but you will have to show a passport or national ID to get in. My kids and I made a trip here but were turned away for not having an appropriate ID. We went back a few days later, and it was worth the second trip. The collection was amazing. Curation is not a strong point of the museum, which is essentially a great hall with hundreds of glass cases housing minerals and fossils, but the architecture of the building and several of the more interesting pieces make up for it.

Don't overlook this small but high quality collection. After being overwhelmed by the golden…read moretriangle of Madrid art museums, this museum is much more comfortable and will only take an hour or two. It's lovely building in a good neighborhood for eating, and cafes. Try En Paella 5 minutes walking distance.

A hidden gem of a museum in Madrid. Beautiful gardens and loved getting to walk through the house…read morekept with some of its original furniture. Learning about the artist and artwork was enriching. Not very crowded either and at a great price (€3 for 1 adult)

This is one of the coolest museums I've ever been in. You're transported back in time, and I am…read moreobsessed with all the clocks, settees, and poufs all over. The colors. The colors!!!!!! I need an emerald green couch now STAT. I'm obsessed. There's no other word for it. My colleague told me to go here and I'm soooo glad she did or I'd have missed out on seeing all this amazing furniture. You think you're on a Bridgerton set, I swear. It's a smaller museum and takes about an hour, if was only a 3€ admission too, and it's so so so worth it! Go go go go go!

Pleasant little museum worth an hour visit in a historic restored house on beautiful grounds…read more Paintings and artifats from late Rennaisance to Victorian Age, its focus is on the Romantic Period, hence the name. It's much easier than the Golden Triangle of Madrid art museums, so it's good on an afternoon jaunt into the Chambri area where you'll find the Madrid history museum right nearby, the Mercado Barcelo and other shops, cafes, restaurants so you can make a whole afternoon of it. Not too from here are the Sorollo museum, the Real Madrid stadium, and a few (!) Michelin star restaurants. This museum is right off the Tribunal metro stop. If you're staying nearby, like at Hotel Saldinero, well then you really should stop by and take a gander. Don't miss the big doll house with the tiny dancer holograms.

Beautiful beautiful rooms and collections Rudest staff of…read moreall time tho Line up early to avoid waiting, otherwise it would be like hours of wait

There was a bit of a wait like an hour or so. We waited in line for at least 1.5 hrs. We spent 3-4…read morehrs and leisurely walked around. I would say if you're a fan of art and old mansions, this would be for you. However, if you have a short attention span and walk very fast through each room, then this place is not for you. Cost was like 3 euros. Madrid is a walkable city so we just walked over here no Uber. Employees were nice and helpful as long as you respect the place.

Amazing edifice, stop by even if it's closed, but if it is open you should stop by before or after…read morethe Archeology museum which is on the other side. World class collection.

I was under the impression from some brochure that it's an archeological museum. It's a museum for…read morerare and ancient books. Perhaps that interests you, but I felt bamboozled. Also, it's extremely confusing to figure out the entrance and the fee (it happens to be free, but that's not obvious).

I wouldn't call this museum a must see, but it is an excellent history museum with some fabulous…read moreart. The history of Madrid is largely told by art, but also maps, sketches models, artifacts, and eventually at the top, photographs. The history ends at industrialization, maybe because that's all they had room for. The grounds and entrance are picturesque. We went on a free day, but it's worth the regular admission. One to two hours, you could easily visit here and the nearby Romantic Museum in an afternoon. A good choice for after the three days of the Golden Triangle of big Madrid art museums. The neighborhood has lots of cafes, pastry shops, affordable dining, bookstores, and Michalin star restaurants so maybe make an afternoon and evening of the Chambri area. If you are staying nearby I think this is a must see stop. Very close to Hotel Sardinero and the Tribunal Metro stop.

Inside the 17th century building of an old orphanage, the Madrid History Museum is free for all…read more Walk inside and staff will direct you where to start. Over the course of three floors, the permanent collection gives a good history of the city of Madrid from the 16th century on. One fascinating exhibit is the map of Madrid from the 1500s on and how it grew from a small villa to a large capital. There are clean restrooms, places to sit, and a good gift shop.

This is a landmark in central Madrid. It is an actual Egyptian temple that was moved to Spain when…read moreflooding from building the Aswan Dam was going to destroy many archaeological sites. It is surrounded by a beautiful park, easily accessible by public transportation.

Sunset at Temple De Bod is a daily celebration of life. As the sun's last rays cast down on the…read morecity, throngs of people do a pilgrimage to view the splendor.

Going to a bullfight has been a bucket list item for me. Finally made it this one. Have to admit,…read moremy girlfriend didn't know what a bullfight was. She thought the bulls fought each other. Surprise! Matador's stab them to death. Ultimately it was an incredible experience.

If you are looking to do something unusual (at least for us living in US) or want to experience a…read moretraditional sport that is still displayed in several countries, I would definitely recommend watching bullfighting at least once. In this venue, the whole setup was superb and classy. It is obvious that everyone involved is passionate about what they do and proud of their heritage, as they should be. But before you book your ticket, make sure you are not faint at heart or an animal lover. This whole sport is about executing a bull, and they killed 6 of them while I was there. That part I understood from the beginning. What rather surprised me was when riders on horses came on the field and basically allowed the bull to maim the horse is it so desired. I initially thought that horses were wearing some kind of protection, but when I saw the cloth over the horses drenched in blood, I realized that they were not. The process is simple, tire out the bull, let him tire himself by attacking the horse, cut the bull so that it looses blood, and when it can hardly move, let the matador come in with the sword to deliver the final blow. Now, I am not here to discourage you from watching this event, but I think you should know the facts before you go. Everyone in my party left after they killed the 4th bull.