Welcome to Ah Spain Poco Poco. Good day
Tania. Buenos.
Good day. Today we are starting a new
kind of what do we want to call it, of
Poco Pocos, like a series a sub genre,
like a bunch of little things that all
are kind of tied together. So we're
going to do museums in different cities
and we'll start with Madrid. So, we'll
sort of work our way through all the
cities that have a lot of interesting
museums, which is basically all of them.
So, this could take a while, but right
Madrid's obviously the biggest one with
the most really. So, we'll start there.
We will. And and so Madrid has like
40 some museums. So,
are we going to list them all?
We're not going to talk about all 40.
So, you can sit tight in your cars or
wherever you listen to us.
We're going to talk just
We're going to talk about just a few.
So, let's start off with the what is
known as the big three or the golden
triangle. And in Madrid, it really is a
triangle. They're all right next to each
other. So, you can bing bang boom them
all in one day, one afternoon if you
want. Um, and the this is the the Praau,
the Rea Sophia, and the the Tyson or
Tissson. So, those are the the main
three. That's a lot of museum for one
day. But yes, you can theoretically you
could theoretically spend several days
in one of these museums. But yeah, if
you're on a tight schedule, you could
also hit them all in one day for sure.
Find out where the masterpieces are, say
you saw them, and then go on your way.
Exactly.
And there's a combined ticket, I think,
for for all of them. There is there's a
there's a combined ticket for all of
them, but there's also you can get these
like museum cards and you can kind of
decide how many museums you want to see
and then it's priced upon that, but it
is a huge discount than going to all of
them, right?
But it is it's like museum card Madrid I
think is what it's called or city card
Madrid something like that.
Yeah, I think they they're definitely
encouraging people to spend time in the
all these beautiful museums. So the
first one, let's start with the Musea de
Prado delpra, which is obviously the
biggest the probably the one if you've
heard of a museum in Spain, that's
probably the one that you've heard of.
Um, and that was founded in 1819 by King
Ferdinand
7th and it is the the main national
museum of Spain. It is and it houses a
lot of European art and it dates from
the 12th century to the early 20th
century and it's based on the former
Spanish royal collection which is and
this museum has the single best
collection of Spanish art. Wonder why.
Maybe because it's in Madrid and Spain
the capital. So, there's a lot to see
obviously in the Praau Museum, but the
main features, if we want to just give
you a couple of things, is um Velasquez,
obviously, Las Maninas. There's Goya's
black paintings, which are more up your
alley maybe than mine since you're a
horror enthusiast, but this is
not going to lie, I've been there. And
the girls and I ran up to see Goya's
Satan devouring his son and we were all
like, "This is amazing." And it
we loved it. And we also did see the
Maha paintings, the ladies. There's one
where she's nude and one where she's
clothed, which is on it's like a Spanish
soap and perfume brand and my auntie
Vera used to wear that. So it was kind
Yeah. So I remember that picture on like
packaging in her house. Oh my goodness.
You know, so
yeah.
So I mean we can call this very classic
art, very just the famous pieces and
Elgreo's masterpieces such as the
nobleman with his hand on his chest, the
Annunciation, the view of Toledo. So, a
lot of a lot of great paintings to see
here.
Speaking of Velasquez, he had a lot of
input into the museum collection. He
brought a lot of the he he was
responsible for like collecting,
curating, whatever the word is you want
to say, of bringing Italian masters to
Spain and now it's one of the largest
outside they have the largest number of
Italian masters outside of Italy.
Oh, wow. It is a huge museum and as a
fun fact, it was actually originally
designed as a natural science museum,
not an art museum. So I don't know what
was in that then but it is now a massive
collection of art.
Well I don't think it ever got used as
the natural museum like it started
Kingford and came Yeah. Kingford and
Yeah. I think I'm going to use this for
the art collection instead.
Seems like that was a good idea.
And we did talk about the price but two
hours before closing you can get in for
free. So if you only want to spend a
real quick time you know what you want
to see you can do that as well.
Right. That's always look for the for
the deals at these museums, especially
when you're in a city that has so many,
I think, as well. Um, and another of the
the big three is the uh Raina Sophia,
the modern master, and that was founded
in 1992
in an 18th century hospital.
Yeah, it's a beautiful building, not
going to lie. Yeah, it's beautiful.
That whole area there is beautiful
buildings. I mean, it's hard. you just
sort of turn around and it's gorgeous
there. But yeah, all of them,
right? And and it focuses more on modern
art. It's Spanish. It's Spanish 20th and
21st century um art. It has P Picassos.
I never pronounce this right. And they
even told me about this piece in Spanish
class because she was all like, "You got
to go there for that." One of those
Spanish books, Miss, you know, they do
those little sections about life in
Spain. You're supposed to learn a lot
from that, you know, about language.
And did she train everybody how to say
it properly? And I've that was two years
ago so I've lost it. But Picasso's gua
which is the it's the
it's massive and it's one of the most
famous paintings of Spain. They also
have like miro paintings and other
things out there.
And they also as an architectural part
of the building they have glass
elevators designed by um architects Ian
Richie. And I love glass elevators. It's
not for everybody because you cannot
have any kind of vertigo going on for
these things, but
I do love a glass elevator. It's a fun
sort of
extra I think that you can get at, you
know, different places.
So, the final of the big three, we have
the the Tissen Borom Misa, I don't know
how you pronounce that,
museum,
which which many call the missing link.
Now, this is it is a relatively new
museum until it was founded in 1992.
But what it does is it kind of fills in
the gaps from the Praau and the Sophia.
Kind of fills out their collections. And
it was actually started as a private
collection. I mean, if anyone heard of
the Tissson families, they kind of have
some money. They may have collected some
pieces.
And what I didn't know until researching
this was that it was actually housed in
his like private villa in Lugano,
Switzerland. And he was out growing it
and wanted a bigger place. And I guess
Switzerland said, "No, you can't expand
your house." So he shopped around Europe
for a better place and I guess Spain
gave him the best offer because now we
have his we have their collection. I
don't know. He has collection
which is amazing to think that you can't
expand the size of your house which I
mean to house more paintings. It's such
a unique request but it is over um 1600
paintings. So Mino
that is maybe possibly too much for a
house.
I'm sure it's more now than it was then
but still. And it is the the second
largest private collection in the world
after the British Royal Collection. So
definitely
which is kind of amazing.
That is kind of amazing. Yeah. Love I
love.
And we didn't talk about what they got
in there. You can see some Van Go
simones.
What I did not know is it's the only
caravajio in in Spanish public
collections.
Oh, so there you go.
Well, there you go.
Who knew?
Who knew?
No. Us. Now all everyone listening.
Now we all know.
Now we all know.
But there are other museums, right? So
these are the tourist ones that all of
your friends who've been to Madrid go
to. And you know, now let's wow you at
your dinner parties with the other
museums you can go to that
Yes. And I think you want to try and try
and go to some of these smaller ones
because they have also each of them have
very unique things offering. So the
Musea Museo Archaeological National,
that's the archeological museum was um
reopened in 2014 after a major
renovation. So assuming it's looking
very snazzy and the star attraction here
is the lady of El L Elchce Elchce. How
would
Elch mysterious Iberian sculpture from
the a 4th century elaborate bust. So you
know these are the the rest of that
museum is is all archaeological. So
you're going to get different things by
going to different museums and spread
your wings and find other places in
Madrid to go see. What's also really
cool about this museum is it has the
exact replica of the Altameir cave
paintings
which is like I think it's and people
don't know if you think of a bison
painting on a cave wall that's what
we're talking that's comes from there
and they closed those like 30 some years
ago because all the visitors were like
hot breath was decaying it well it was
the decay mold from human breath and
stuff I wouldn't have so disgusting
thank you for sharing that tidbit that
no one asked more.
You're welcome.
So, another one they have which I love
is I mean who doesn't love some fashion
costume? So, they have the Museo del Tra
which is the Spanish fashion history
from the 16th century to today which is
really
I love that. And they have the the royal
wedding dresses and flamco costume. So,
this is a super fun very Spanish museum
I think. And I Yeah, love the idea of a
of a costume museum. Fantastic. Yeah.
Right. And and obviously they have
pieces from Balenciaga, Pertig and and
Palomo of Spain. So you know
it is fashion.
Spain is a fashion is a fashion
powerhouse people.
And and then we also have there's also a
a naval museum which is quite near the
Praau as well. So if you want to try and
hit something else when you're there. So
the naval museum has the highlights of
Columbus maps, Spanish mata artifacts,
but also a Juandosa's world map from
1500 which is the first showing in a map
of America which I think is a very cool
element to to see in a museum.
It very much is which kind of leads us
to our next museum
for more American things. the the museo
to America because you know Spain did
have their hand in conquering America
and so this this focuses on the
pre-colian and the colonial American
arts of of mean Spanish colonial not the
British colonial so you know not your
people's colonial version of America
right the other colonial
most the time
and it has things like Mayan cotuses and
inca gold and and and kind of colonial
religious arts.
I think that's a very interesting museum
for looking at Spain's relationship with
the Americas overall with objects and
different elements and all different
things. So at that I think that is
something that is on my list to go see
and what would any great city be without
a natural scientist museum museum
nationalis
is is there and it is one of Europe's
oldest founded in 1771 and it has what I
think is the most adorable thing. Do you
want to say what it is?
If you think they're adorable I'm going
to let you do it because I don't I do
kind of get it but not 100%.
Plus it's a skeleton so
They have a giant meggathereum. They
have a meggathereum skeleton which is a
giant sloth. And you know sloths are
cute at any
but maybe not a skeletons. I don't know.
And of course they have things like a
planetarium and mineral collection.
Yes. And also some familyfriendly
exhibits and workshops. So this is I
mean these these museums in every city
are always great familyfriendly museums
and this one is no different.
And speaking of familyfriendly, we have
the Museo ABC of drawing and
illustration, which is I think this has
a collection of comics and graphic
design and advertising art. So, this is
another private collection um dedicated
to drawing and illustration. So, I think
this is also something that can appeal
to a lot of different people because of
the fact that it's doing comics and
advertis,
right? And the ABC is actually a
newspaper um in Spain. So it's their
collection. So that's who owns the
museum. So it's stuff from their from
their history as well as other things as
well. But it's that's that's who's that
it's not some some name some one
person's family donated. It's it's a
company that decided to create this
museum
that have over 200,000 items.
You can get through that in about I
don't know hour and a half.
Absolutely.
It's kind of unique though. So, I think
that one's kind of unique.
It is. And it's in an old converted
brewery from the late 19th century. So,
that's kind of cool.
And I think the next one you should do
because this is much more up your alley.
This is up my alley. What are you trying
in a way? It's not There is It is not
for the faint-hearted. And I am a
faint-hearted.
Well, I don't know if it's faint. Well,
I I mean, honestly, I'm not a fan of
these because what what city would not
be a city without some sort of wax
museum? And so there is a muse of Dera
which is as as one would expect it is a
classic tourist trap with Spanish and
other world celebrities in molded in in
wax and you know but I think probably
what you don't like is the horror part
because if anyone's listened they have
probably figured out Tanya doesn't like
the rest of it. Yeah, I really don't.
The rest of it might be fun and probably
a good, you know, selfies, Instagram
photos spot probably because you've got
all these uh, you know, these wax
things, figures and
Yeah, I think it's I think it's good for
social media cred. Is that what they're
calling it?
And I think my favorite is it's a it's a
tiny little museum, but it is the
Spanish tooth fairy museum, which is not
a not a tooth fairy as we know it. It's
called the Musea del Raton Perez and
that is what they do here as a tooth
fairy. So this is a double double
information PCO apoco here which is
that's what they do here is they have a
little a little mouse I'm going to call
it that comes and does the tooth fairy
job. And that is so obviously a very
uniquely Spanish museum that is in
Madrid and very cute
and very kitschy. I mean it is it is
chaka block full of stuff. I mean it is
Yeah.
But for your little kids, you need to
keep them occupied and make them go on.
Yeah. Exactly. And it's a cute thing to
show that, you know, something
culturally different as well, but in a
very cute in a very, very cute way.
Yeah. So, I think that wraps up what
we're going to give you right now for
the museums, but do we want to give them
other tips? We had mentioned the Madrid
city card if you want to see multiple
visits on a discount.
Yes. Very helpful. And also, you can
always, of course, find walking tours,
especially around the Golden Triangle.
So that's something you can always get
get into. And also there are many more
museums. So definitely look up and there
are some hidden gems and smaller
museums. And the smaller ones tend to be
less crowded obviously. So if you wanted
to kind of do a little bit of like do a
major one but then do some little ones
so that your whole day isn't lining up
and with crowds. That's that's kind of
what I would do.
Right. And and also remind people too
that you know a lot of museums are
closed on Mondays and some museums alter
will have a different day. So I know
here some museums are closed Monday and
some are closed Wednesday. So if it's
closed Wednesday it might be open on
Monday but Monday seems to be a big clos
you know museum closing day. So just
check you know you know before you head
over there banging on the doors.
Not sure if it's open or not.
Well until next time Tanya.
Until next time. until our next museum
one. We'll do it. We'll pick another
city and if you have any cities that
anyone's interested in, please let us
know. We will be giving little tidbits
on museums all around Spain.
Sounds good.
Ciao.
Ciao.
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Till the next episode.
Bye.