How to visit and what to see in the Royal Collections Gallery (Madrid): schedules

Madrid has a new museum since this summer.

This is the Gallery of the Royal Collections, an impressive building that houses the jewels treasured by the kings of Spain for five centuries.

It is located in a privileged place in Madrid, in the Plaza de la Armería, in front of Royal Palace, Together with the Cathedral of the Almudena.

After his inauguration on July 25, becomes the most important cultural project of the last decade in Spain, and this was already confirmed by those who visited them during the Open Doors Conference which took place at the end of June.

What is the Gallery of Royal Collections of Madrid like?

An exquisite legacy of paintings, sculptures, creative writing, weapons, and more hangings, which coexist alongside the furniture and utensils of royalty.

Treasures of incalculable value ranging from the car of the Royal Crown of the Royal Palace, White horse de Velázquez, to Charles IV on his back or the collection of saddles of Charles V.

In total about 700 pieces that form a showcase of all the Royal National Heritage Sitesand Royal Palace, Escorial Monastery, or the royal palaces de Aranjuez o La Granja.

Also essential is the archaeological room dedicated to the origins of Madrid.

In it are the oldest remains of the Arab wall built access to the 3th century city found during the construction of the museum, and be sure to watch the explanatory video that reconstructs the growth of the capital in XNUMXD.

Among the particularities of this museum is its capacity for transformation, since the gallery will be in permanent movement.

A third of the pieces will be continuously rotated with a double objective, to show more content and for conservation reasons.

The building itself is an exceptional space, a work of art in itself that has received numerous architectural awards.

In the heart of Madrid and excavated in the rock, we find this colossus of 40.000 square meters, which was designed Emilio Tuñón y Luis Moreno Mansilla.

To access the rooms, you have elevators, but the route is more impressive because of the linear access ramps on which there are panels with explanatory photos of what you are going to see and unique panoramic views of Madrid.

It is impossible not to look out of its windows and capture a snapshot.

La first temporary exhibition which we can enjoy until June 2024, is called “In motion”, a collection of cars and carriages of National Heritage, unique pieces that are rarely exhibited.

Next to the museum and before entering, you can contemplate from one of the best views of Madrid, Cornice Viewpoint, which offers spectacular postcards of the Casa de Campo, the Campo del Moro gardens and the Madrid mountains.

This is the experience of visiting the Gallery of Royal Collections

The route that begins from the cornice of the Plaza de la Armería It is descending, with three levels that are traversed through wide ramps in which we find audiovisual information to understand the collections on display.

What it is like and what to see in the Austrias Collection

La plant 1 is dedicated to the Austrians.

In this room the collections of tapestries from the Royal Armory, with works of El Bosco, Titian, El Greek, Ribera, Velázquez o Caravaggio, .

The starting point is the Solomonic columns de Francisco Herrera the Young Man y Juan de Churriguera.

There are four imposing columns six meters high and weighing 600 kilos, and it is one of the busiest places to take photos.

Large tapestries in the Royal Collections Gallery

But without a doubt this room is the one of the large tapestries.

Sumptuous scenes, like movies from the past, narrating battles, religious affairs and ancient stories such as “The Triumph of Time, The Garden of Earthly Delights and Hercules Holds the Celestial Sphere"

Among the jewels are also the Polyptych of Isabella the Catholic, John of Flanders: Archangel Saint Michael defeating the devil de Louise Roldan.

From the world of painting stands out The White Horse de Velázquez y The worship of the name of Jesus of the Greco, considered the masterpieces of the Gallery.

Equally impressive is the Charles V's most luxurious armor, known as the “Mühlberg harness¨, which stands imposingly in the middle of the room.

What it is like and what to see in the Bourbon Collection

La plant 2 is dedicated to the Bourbons., and in it appear the plans of the new Royal Palace, which was built by Philip V, next to a model of the Gallery of Royal Collections.

They also highlight the Crown of the Virgin of Atocha of Isabel II de Narciso Praxedes and paintings of the likes of Mengs, Goya, Tiepolo o Maella.

The large rooms are completed with musical instruments, pictures y furniture of the last three centuries.

La plant 3 is the one dedicated to the Temporary exhibitions; In it we find a large immersive cube that projects in 360 degrees the different architectural and natural spaces of the Royal Sites.

What is the architecture of the Royal Collections Gallery building like?

The building that houses this new museum is an architectural jewel in itself, a building of contemporary architecture, avant-garde, to house classical art.

It has an area of ​​more than 40.000 square meters, of which 8.000 are for public use.

Available three open-plan exhibition rooms more than 100 meters long by 16 meters wide, created by a succession of concrete porticos.

It was an idea that was born during the II Republic, which was taken up again at the end of the 90s of the last century, whose design and realization has lasted more than 25 years.

Royal Collections Gallery opening hours

Visiting hours of the Gallery of Royal Collections They are, Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 20 p.m., and Sundays and holidays, from 10 a.m. to 19 p.m.

Ticket prices Royal Collections Gallery

The ticket prices To visit this new museum, the general price is 14 euros, and the reduced price is 7 euros.

Since a large influx of visitors is expected, it is advisable to buy tickets online in advance of your visit.

You can take all the photos you want, but without flash, and you also have audioguide that you can download to your mobile with a code that is provided to you when purchasing tickets.

There is also the option of signing up for a tour, or rent a tablet for 5 euros.

When to visit the Royal Collections Gallery for free

You can visit the Royal Collections Gallery for free Monday to Thursday, from 18 p.m.

Where is and how to get to Gallery of Royal Collections

The new museum is located in the 8 Bailen Street, and you can access it through the ledge of the Plaza de la Armería, next to the Almudena Cathedral, and also by the entrance of the Cuesta de la Vega, at the highest point of the gardens of Campo del Moro.

El Metro closest is the Opera y Plaza of Spain, and if you arrive by car, very close you have the Plaza de Oriente parking lot.