If you love art and history, Madrid is the place to be. The city has so many brilliant museums and galleries, but buildings with as much history as these need a bit of TLC every now and again. Renovation and refurbishment work is vital for keeping these places in tip-top shape.
That’s exactly what’s been going on with Madrid’s Museo Naval, a well-known historical hub full of all kinds of treasures from Spain’s maritime past, which first opened its doors in 1843.
Madrid’s Museo Naval reopens on September 2
After closing its doors at the end of July for some basic refurbishment and maintenance, the museum will finally reopen on Tuesday, September 2. The main entrance will remain shut for a little longer, so temporary access will be provided through the Calle Montalbán door.
The museum is home to loads of cool exhibitions; among its most notable possessions is a huge map showing the routes taken by Spanish navigators, multiple giant seventeenth-century globes, the first known map of the Americas created by a European, an original sketch on parchment paper drawn by the fifteenth century royal cartographer Juan de la Cosa, and remains from the San Diego ship recovered between 1991 and 1993.
The most impressive object of all, however, is its gorgeous staircase in the Navy Headquarters, where the museum is based. Designed by architects José de Espelius and Francisco Javier de Luque in 1928, it was built nearly 100 years ago using Carrara marble and will be free to view once the Museo Naval opens its doors once again.
When can you visit Madrid’s Museo Naval?
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm, and entry is completely free. It closes on January 1 and 6, as well as May 1, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and December 31. At the entrance, you might be asked to donate three euros towards the building’s maintenance, but this is optional.
Plan your stay in Madrid
There’s loads more to do in Madrid once you’ve visited the Museo Naval. It’s got loads of great restaurants and bars, as well as lovely places to stay, and tons of fun stuff to keep you busy. You can find more of the Spanish capital’s architectural wonders on our list of the city’s most beautiful places.
ICYMI: Madrid’s legendary tapas crawl is returning this autumn for its fifteenth anniversary.
Plus: This is the best Nordic city break right now, according to .
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
