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All Spain Madrid Museo de América

Museo de América

This fascinating and poignant museum chronicles every imaginable aspect of Spanish colonialism in the Americas.

Madrid, Spain

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Mictlān Tēcutli
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The museum entrance.   Benjamín Núñez González/cc by-sa 4.0
A sculpture of a Spanish Galleon outside the museum.   Simon Burchell/cc by-sa 3.0
Courtyard of the museum.   Benjamín Núñez González/cc by-sa 4.0
Quimbaya gold artefacts from Colombia depicting dieties or leaders,   Benjamín Núñez González/cc by-sa 4.0
An Incan ceramic pot portraying a snarling jaguar, from the Incan Empire in pre-colonial Peru.   Outisnn/cc by 3.0
A pre-Hispanic ceramic of the Mexican Colima culture. This vessel portrays a Xoloitzcuintle dog.   Dorieo/cc by-sa 4.0
An Aztec sculpture of the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue, deity of rivers, streams, and lakes.   Luis García/cc by-sa 3.0
A beautifully ornate classic Maya-era ceramic.   Simon Burchell/cc by-sa 3.0
An ancient Mayan bas relief, once the leg of the Royal throne of Palenque, stolen by conquistadors.   Luis García/cc by-sa 3.0
Fragment of a Mayan sculpture that was smashed from a temple as a souvenir by conquistadors.   Michel wal/cc by-sa 3.0
A portrait of Sor Juana de la Cruz, a famous Mexican criolla nun, and a self-taught scholar, scientist, philosopher, and baroque poet.   Andrés de Islas/public domain
A 19th-century mummified shrunken head collected by Jibaro tribal headhunting in Ecuador.   Haylli/public domain
An incan llama pendant made from gold   Dorieo
16th century conquistador helmet   Luis García
View of the building   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Inca pottery   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
The museum and the lookout tower “Faro de Moncloa” (photo by Inma Morato)   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Inca pottery   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Ducks   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Carabela y museo   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
A colonial-era caste painting from Peru showing a mestiza, a criollo, and their mixed-race child.   Miguel Cabrera
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About

The superb collections of the Museo de América (Museum of the Americas) make it one of the finest places in the world to see pre-Columbian artifacts from the ancient civilizations conquered by the Spanish Empire. 

Inside the museum's galleries there are countless mysterious artifacts brought back to Spain from the civilizations that were plundered and bloodily swept away by the conquistadors—namely the Incas, Aztecs, and Mayans. Exhibited alongside these are archaeological pieces that provide a window into the art, society, and everyday life of many other regional civilizations—including those that never encountered the Europeans—such as the Peruvian Moches and Chavin people, and the Mexican Olmec and Teotihuacan cultures.

Some highlights of the museum include an exhibit on indigenous languages, an ancient mummy from Peru and a Mayan funerary urn, as well as a wonderful collection of gold figurines from the Quimbaya civilization of modern-day Colombia. Of particular significance and historical value are the numerous and striking Incan artifacts, of which very few remain in existence today. The majority of the gold and silver treasures belonging to this fascinating Andean civilization were plundered by the conquistadors to be melted down and made into the famous "pieces of eight" coins, the first global currency.

Indeed it was the destruction of such objects to be converted into coinage that made Spain the richest and most powerful country in the world for well over two centuries, an aspect that the museum does not shy away from. Interestingly, unlike many other archaeological collections, this museum doesn't just showcase the pre-Columbian and pre-colonial history of the Americas. Also displayed are artifacts, paintings, and exhibits that reflect the somber and complex history of Spanish colonialism itself, and how it shaped the modern-day “New World."

Related Tags

Colonialism Colonial America Archaeology Museums Ancient Cultures And Civilizations Aztec Incas Mayan Collections Museums And Collections

Know Before You Go

Give yourself at least a couple of hours to explore the museum's collection, as it is not only huge but includes a lot of interesting things to see that you might miss if you go through in a hurry. The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. The entrance fee is 3 euro. To get to the museum using public transport, the best option is to take the metro (line 3 or 6) to Moncloa station. Take the "Isaac Peral" exit route out to the street and within a short walk, you will see the museum building.

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Monsieur Mictlan

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Luis Morato, linkogecko, Xavixavir

  • Luis Morato
  • linkogecko
  • Xavixavir

Published

February 21, 2019

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Museo de América
6 Av. de los Reyes Católicos
Madrid
Spain
40.438319, -3.721966
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