iHoused in the former Real Hospicio de San Fernando, an 18th-century poorhouse designed by Pedro de Ribera, this free municipal museum traces Madrid's rise from a minor town to European capital. Its 60,000-plus objects include Goya's Alegoria de la Villa de Madrid and the celebrated 1830 scale model of the city by Leon Gil de Palacio. The building's ornate stone doorway, one of Madrid's finest Churrigueresque facades, survives from the original 1722 hospice.

An 18.4 sqm scale model of 1830 Madrid built by military engineer León Gil de Palacio for Ferdinand VII, restored and reinstalled in 2025.

Nine galleries tracing Madrid from Habsburg capital to industrial-era metropolis, featuring Goya's Alegoría de la Villa de Madrid and Buen Retiro porcelain.
Calle de Fuencarral, 78, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Nearest station: Tribunal (Metro L1, L10) and Bilbao (Metro L1, L4)
Show on map| Mon | Closed |
| TueToday | 10:00–20:00 |
| Wed | 10:00–20:00 |
| Thu | 10:00–20:00 |
| Fri | 10:00–20:00 |
| Sat | 10:00–20:00 |
| Sun | 10:00–20:00 |
Free
Permanent collection and temporary exhibitions are free year-round; free guided tours require advance booking.
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