For such a magnificent museum displaying artefacts from many different parts of the world, it’s very unfortunate that there isn’t – like other museums in Spain and other non-English speaking countries - information written in English alongside the Spanish descriptions. Fascinating place that I would send the whole day if information was available to understand/ learn more. 😥😥😥😥

Many nice artifacts. The timelines of migrations, cultures, explorations, conquests, and colonization is well represented. The displays are well done. The building and staff are pleasant. I would give this museum a higher rating except that for all it gives, it still misses out on a very important historical lesson. There are many paintings of the very racist caste system in the Americas during the colonial period. It has many paintings showing the labels a child has depending upon the portions of their ethnic background from European, African, and indigenous. A contextual label regarding this ridiculous obsession being something our society has outgrown would be very helpful. Additionally, labelling so many items as "Indio" instead of indigenous is very outdated and a bit racist. I am sure thousands of schoolchildren come here on school field trips. Updating a few of the placards to these items can only be positive in the education of people.

This is a museum that should not be on your top visit list in Madrid, simply because the number of exhibits are in a small scale. Dissatisfied points: 1. The interior exhibition language is Spanish-only. There is no audio guide avalible. You may have to download the touring APP via the QR code at the front gate. 2. The exhibit objects are relatively normal without any highlights. Many exhibited objects and knowledge are very basic; you can simply learn them from Google. Satisfied points: 1. The ticket is free. 2. Nice staffs

There is a lot here. I went twice. Once for each floor. Otherwise, for me, it was too much for one go Amazing and extensive collection. Esp, for me, the wax figurines on the upper floor Quite an extemporaneous mix of European-influence religious art and native , non-Christian works

This museum was really good! Considering it's low entrance fee(4 or 5€) and really "ancient" website I was afraid that it's not worth the tour. And so wrong I was! I only had two hours and regretted deeply that I didn't make more time for it and it was closing. Amazing collection, even for those who are not history geeks. Also, very few people, even though it's highest season (July). Bevare that all of the signs and information are in Spanish, and lots of it is really interesting, so make sure you have Google translate app with you, so that you can take pics and translate. I will definitely come back!

Wonderful museum with incredible pieces. It should be much more promoted. If you comme to Madrid for a short or a long stay it’s definitely a place where you should go.

Very interesting museum to say the least. Didn’t really contextualize pieces, and everything was in Spanish (which was fine). Lot of strange pieces regarding race and Latin America. Probably not a top museum destination if you’re visiting Madrid.

Very educative. Must see if you visit Madrid. Free entry on thursday.

Incredible collection of pre Hispanic art especially the gold

This is a really cool museum dedicated to an early history of the North and South America. Anything from post-Ice-age archeological discoveries to the Columbus times. Advice - come on Sunday, or late on Thursday to get a free admission. Also download the audio track from their website and listen it from your smartphone - bring your own headphones with you. (See in the description for the website.) The reason I took away one star is two fold: 1. Even though this is a museum dedicated to the history of the Americas, all their inscriptions for exhibits are exclusively in Spanish. They clearly didn't think about American tourists. 2. The audio track (although it is available in English) it is somewhat confusing - where to start listening and how is it connected to each room. That part needs to be more clear. Otherwise it's an excellent museum.

My new favorite museum in Madrid. I went there twice just to see everything in detail. Where else in the world you could see the few wonders of pre-Colombian civilizations of America, mixed with suspicious art of the colonial (“viceroy”) period; pietas next to obsydian blades used in human sacrifice; Mayan codices next to Spanish classifications of mixed races (who seem to have been fascinated by that.) The richness of the new world cultures is well represented, though it’s tear-evoking how few artifacts remain. I had my head full of thoughts of Le Clézio’s “la pensée interrompue”. Perhaps if not for the brutal conquest, youngsters in the West would now read some sort of Mayan manga?… If anything, this is where the museum lacks a little, to retell about the conquest and utter destruction of that world.

Fabulous! I had one of the best guided tours by Magdalena, a charming very knowledgeable person who explained lots of extremely interesting aspects about five different indigenous women's culture. Honouring the International Day of the Indigenous Women.

As other reviewers have mentioned, this museum is really oriented toward the average tourist mainly because much of the information, actually the vast majority of it is in Spanish only. I did wonder if there was an audio guide for non speakings, but it was never offered to me at reception. The staff did give me a sheet with a map of the museum and a route that was something akin to a highlights tour of the museum I love history and art, so the visit was still enjoyable. Some of the artefact on display are lovingly exhibited like any great museum. Some stand out examples includethe paintings depicting the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the Tro-Cortesian Mayan codex, the decorative gold jewellery from Mesoamerica. Funnily enough, the museum isn't just about the Americas, there's a small oriental connection as well as a fascinating collection of masks from Australasia. The Museo de America is a fantastic museum. Pity there's no english and it's hard to place items in context when there's no explanation, otherwise I'd give it a higher score.

Very interesting museum covering the pre and post colonisation cultures of the Americas. Lots of useful background information about the local people, coupled with artefacts, maps and cultural insights. It's an underrated museum in my view, the info here is well presented, and it's not crowded, allowing you to sip in the knowledge at your own pace.

Free for students, so many exhibits for different themes separated by north and south america, two floors with several rooms each. informative and artistic. must see. shrunken heads were my favorite.

The Museo de América (English: Museum of America) is a Spanish national museum of arts, archaeology and ethnography in Madrid. Its collections cover the whole of the Americas and range from the Paleolithic period to the present day. It is owned by the Spanish State and its initial pieces came from the former collection of American archaeological and ethnographic artifacts from the National Archaeological Museum, also exhibiting a number of unrelated donations, deposits and purchases.The institution was founded via a decree from 19 April 1941 and opened in 1944 inside the building hosting the National Archaeological Museum. After all the initial pieces were moved to a newly built premises in the Ciudad Universitaria, the building was thus inaugurated on 12 October 1965. After a series of refurbishment works on the building (previously shared with a number of unrelated institutions), the museum was reopened on 12 October 1994, this time while holding the exclusivity on the use of the building.

An interesting museum in the heart of Madrid´s University City. Essential for those who wish to explore the history of the Spanish America. Over 3,000 pieces, from maps, scale models, treasures of incalculable value like that of the Quimbayas to codices such as the Trocortesiano, one of the only four Mayan manuscripts that still exist. The well-systemized collection provides perspective on how Europe viewed the New World from Columbus up until the Conquest.

Huge array of artefacts to look at with lots of contextually material, but unfortunately only in Spanish. There's an English guide you can download but I couldn't make it work on my phone. The displays are organised into thoughtful themes and there are some pretty amazing things to see, like shrunken human heads and a Peruvian mummy as well as incredible gold objects, tapestries woven from feathers. A really amazing visit and free till the end of September.

Lovely place. The entrance price is very good. Little to no english. Most items are central and South American. Some exhibits are kind of random. Like there will be 3 pics; two represent south American people and then there's a high plains pic of a man with a headress on. Or one area had Cheyenne moccasins and Northwest coast figures and two papers with hopi and/sw tribal motifs. As a North American tribal person I was a bit disappointed that rge horrors of colonization and the atrocities that were visited upon our southern brothers was not addressed at all. Overall we enjoyed it. It's got a lot of items and the building is very pretty. Take your phone and use Google translate.

The Museo de América (English: Museum of America) is a Spanish national museum of arts, archaeology and ethnography in Madrid. Its collections cover the whole of the Americas and range from the Paleolithic period to the present day.It is owned by the Spanish State and its initial pieces came from the former collection of American archaeological and ethnographic artifacts from the National Archaeological Museum, also exhibiting a number of unrelated donations, deposits and purchases. The institution was founded via a decree from 19 April 1941 and opened in 1944 inside the building hosting the National Archaeological Museum. After all the initial pieces were moved to a newly built premises in the Ciudad Universitaria, the building was thus inaugurated on 12 October 1965. After a series of refurbishment works on the building (previously shared with a number of unrelated institutions), the museum was reopened on 12 October 1994, this time while holding the exclusivity on the use of the building.

interesting take on Spanish Conquistadors. Would loved to have visited this museum in NY as a high school student taking Spanish. The museum is all in Spanish and helps your reading skills. Spain paints a completely different picture of colonizing the Americas.

The entrance ticket only costs 3 euro, but it's unexpectedly interesting and big, I saw the popularity of this museum is less the others, but it's totally worth the value to have a visit.

Nice museum , free visit on Thursday after 14:00 hrs. Remarkable that the “decolonisation” movement/craze that destructs history and history museums and historic sites in north Europe (uk, nl, dl,sw) hasn’t touched this museum and Spain in general. For that reason alone it is opportune to see it now than postpone your visit to the future. Ah, remark: the museum pertains to show “all” Indian life and interactions of n and s America , but of course it is only those in contact with the Hispanic imperium.weird then , that they do give attention to some eskimos? But nothing of the n American apaches, Mohawks,tawnee etc… So, it is a weird disposition of Indian and Hispanic imperial artefacts… In fact the theme is not “beautiful Indian artifacts “ but rather “ what the empire and conquistadors looted but did not destruct from the Indian subjugated”..

Very good. Check out the enormous sun dial.

Nothing spectacular. The Mayan codices they have on display are only copies (which you can buy in the gift shop for a few thousand euros.) Very good for comparing the different types of ceramics from the region's people. Lovely feather cape from Vancouver was one of my favourites.

I have to say I was disappointed, but I visited this near the end of my trip. A nice collection of artifacts form the Americas. However the displays (and interpretations) are outdated. I would say visit here first if you know nothing about Spanish history or the empire. But then visit the national archeological (M.A.N.) and anthropological and history museums... a little more up to date.

Spanish speakers only! The museum is very good and has a great collection, hard to see anywhere else in Europe. It's definitely worth a visit. Free on Sundays. The only issue I had was that there are no descriptions in English, it's all Spanish only including the audioguide. You have an option to follow a QR code with an app, including an English guide. However, we have only noticed that on the way out, they didn't even notify us on the entrance about it, and we did talk to the ticket lady.

It's a bit far, but really worth it, if you are interested in the Spanish ex colonials! You can find there authentic sculptures and things brought from the American continents and preserved in very good conditions. I find very interesting originals of maps and early cartography of the Americas, as well as reconstructions of indian houses

Quite a nice museum in Madrid (about a 30-min Metro ride from central Madrid to Moncloa). Loads of artefacts and historical info from the Americas. Does a fairly good job at highlighting Spain’s colonial history in the region, although I feel this could have been emphasised more strongly, as well as centring indigenous culture and agency a bit more. The museum is also in Spanish. But, for €3 general entry it’s worth a visit if you’re in the area.

I didn’t expect so many artefacts from mezoamerica. Museum is huge so take your time. During summer is good to relax in garden. If you want free entry, ask in tourist point when to visit museum for free, they will tell you everything.

Good collection, next time I'll download the guide app before starting the visit

Very well maintained Meuseum. Detailed, knowledge and learning about Americas and its connection to Spain. Can be fine on 2 to 3 hours, but if you are interested in details 6 to 7 hours is still short. Good for children.

Nice museum and great that it’s free to students. It was interesting to see the story from a different perspective. Quick pass through was enough though. Definitely not high on the list of things to do.

Perfect. My favorite museum of all Madrid. This one has a deep significance and cultivate the locals and the tourists who need to see the story of the inhabitants of the American continent. Long ago before the Spanish, the French, the Portuguese and the British came to upheld everything in America. I loved to discover all the population culture. It's very well presented and provide the necessary information to understand everything. All of that for free each Sunday. What could we ask more ?

Great museum. The only downside is that there is only information in Spanish. Normally there is an English translation in most museums. As my Spanish is only okay and I'm nowhere near fluent I didn't understand everything clearly, which ruined the experience slightly, which is why I couldn't give it 5 stars

Interesting building. Unfortunately, we couldn't get inside.

I had visited this museum a few years back and there was a lot more about the nasty bits the Spaniards did to the natives. Looks like that was mostly removed. Also, no English translation, which narrows the audience. Still, I think it is worth a visit for an hour or two.

Very impressive.

Brilliant museum! Loads of artifacts, one star removed for not having english descriptions and can’t use google translator as lots of stuff written in handwrite