Start your Madrid art museum experience at one of the most famous museums in Spain: the Prado. This space offers insight not only into Spain’s art but its history too, thanks to endless paintings of Spain’s royals, including Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, which captures the Spanish court and ladies in waiting. There are also famous works by Francisco Goya, Hieronymus Bosch, El Greco, and many more. See it all with a skip-the-line guided tour of the museum.

Just hearing the names of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí should be enough to get the Reina Sofia on your personal Madrid museum map. The museum, located just across the street from the Atocha Train Station (Puerta de Atocha), has several paintings and drawings from the two above artists, as well as art by Joan Miró, Georges Braque, Francis Bacon, and many others. If you only have a limited amount of time at this museum, make sure to see Picasso’s Guernica, which covers an entire wall.

One of the best museums in Madrid for an eclectic art experience, the Thyssen-Bornemisza is the third museum, alongside the Prado and the Reina Sofia, that forms the city’s Golden Art Triangle. The space has more than 1,000 pieces of art, with works by Mondrian, O’Keefe, Hopper, Van Gogh, and others. Admire Degás’ Swaying Dancer, Lichtenstein’s Woman in a Bath, and Cézanne’s Seated Man at this museum. Make sure to get your Madrid museum tickets ahead of time to avoid long waits, though.

Madrid’s history museum is the National Archaeology Museum (often abbreviated as MAN), which recently underwent a massive renovation. These days, the museum has all sorts of interesting pieces in a large, all-encompassing space. See items such as a bronze and wooden cash register from 1913, a sundial from 1548, and even replicas of the UNESCO–listed prehistoric Altamira Cave drawings (the original caves are in Cantabria).

When it comes to must-see museums in Madrid, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (Estadio Santiago Bernabéu) and Real Madrid Museum should be on your list, especially if you're a sports fan. Part of the stadium tour includes a visit to the museum, which has more than 220,000 items. It features things like the team’s many Champions League titles, trophies, photos, and insight into the stadium’s most recent massive and futuristic renovation.

From royal Spanish fashion to designers such as Balenciaga and Jesus del Pozo, Madrid’s Museum of Costume has more than 160,000 pieces. Recently renovated, the space is now accessible, with pieces well organized into various sections. The collection is varied and spans centuries, so expect to see pieces including a vintage Lanvin dress from 1923, Rococo shoes from the 16th century, and regional outfits from different areas of Spain.

The Museum of the Americas has a 25,000-piece collection made up of ethnographic objects and art from the Americas dating back to pre-Hispanic times and through the Spanish rule up until the 20th century. You can view items from Indigenous communities, such as masks and headdresses, art and objects from the time of the Spanish rule, and Andrean ceramics from centuries past. The space also has a full conservation department to ensure the items are properly restored and cared for.

The small, lesser-known Museum of Romanticism deserves a spot on your Madrid museum guide, an easy stop after strolling or taking a walking tour through the hip Malasaña and Chueca neighborhoods of Madrid. The museum, which is inside a former palace, showcases the key art, furniture, and objects from the Romanticism period in Madrid. Wander through the mansion and admire clothing, Spanish fans, paintings, as well as slightly odder items, such as human hair, porcelain dolls, and numerous pianos.

The Matadero Madrid is a massive cultural museum that was once the city’s slaughterhouse. The ever-evolving space offers exhibits, concerts, cinema, workshops, kids’ events, festivals, bike rentals, and so much more. Stop in, next to Madrid’s renovated Madrid Río Park (Parque Madrid Río), after a bike or Segway tour for a quick dose of culture. You can even take a guided tour of the cultural center to understand more about its history.

If you’re wondering about Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, the Madrid Naval Museum can share some insight. It’s home to model vessels, equipment and items used aboard Spanish ships, and other objects related to Spanish naval history throughout eight centuries. Highlights include a gold compass from 1596 and a pocket watch belonging to an admiral that was designed by José Rodríguez Losada, a clockmaker who also created the clock located in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol.