Lázaro Galdiano Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lázaro Galdiano Museum

Museo Lázaro Galdiano
Façade of the museum
Established	27 January 1951 (1951-01-27)
Location	Calle de Serrano 122, Madrid, Spain
Type	Art museum
Architectural style(s)	Neo-Renaissance
Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Official name: Museo Lázaro Galdiano
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	1962
Reference no.	RI-51-0001380

The Lázaro Galdiano Museum is a fantastic art museum located in Madrid, Spain. It holds the amazing art collection of a man named José Lázaro Galdiano. This museum first opened its doors to the public on January 27, 1951.

Discovering the Museum's History

How the Museum Began

The beautiful building where the museum is located was built in 1903. It was originally the home of José Lázaro Galdiano and his wife. The building is surrounded by lovely grounds.

These grounds also include a library. This library holds Galdiano's very important collection of incunabula and manuscripts. Incunabula are books printed before the year 1501.

From Home to Museum

When Galdiano passed away in 1947, he left his entire personal collection to the Spanish government. This collection included over 12,000 items!

After his death, the Fundación Lázaro Galdiano [es] was created in 1948. This foundation helped turn his home into a museum. The building was carefully updated by Fernando Chueca Goitia [es].

The museum officially opened on January 27, 1951. The people who designed the museum kept the original look of the rooms. You can still see the fancy painted ceilings that Galdiano had made.

A Protected Treasure

In 1962, the building was given a special title. It was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural. This means it is a protected cultural heritage site in Spain.

Exploring the Museum's Collections

What You Can See

The Lázaro Galdiano Museum has many valuable items. These range from very old prehistoric objects to art from the 1800s. The museum especially focuses on art from Spain.

You can find many different types of objects here. These include beautiful jewellery, small bronze statues, and silver items. There are also church items and everyday household silver.

The collection also features ceramics, carved ivory, and old coins, known as numismatics. Many objects come from Spain. But some also come from other important art centers. These include places like Limoges in France and even Egypt.

Ancient and Medieval Art

While the Renaissance period is very well represented, the museum also has important early medieval objects. These include items from the Visigothic period. You can also see works made by Spain's ancient Celtic culture.

Famous Paintings to Discover

The museum's painting collection is truly special. It includes works by many famous artists. You can see paintings by George Romney and John Constable. Constable's painting is called Landscape of Flatford.

There are also works by Dutch artists like Nicolaes Maes and David Teniers the Younger. You can find art by Erasmus Quellinus II, including The Virgin and the Child.

Italian artists like Giulio Clovio and Bernardo Cavallino are also featured. Cavallino's work is St. Stephen. You can also see paintings by Lorenzo Tiepolo and Joshua Reynolds.

Spanish Masters

The museum has many incredible paintings by Spanish masters. These include Francisco Zurbarán, Diego de Velázquez, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. You can also see works by Luis Paret and Federico de Madrazo.

Two of the most famous Spanish artists, Francisco de Goya and El Greco, also have paintings here. Goya's famous work, Witches' Sabbath, is on display. El Greco's Saint Francis in ecstasy is another highlight.

Find Out More

• Official website of the Fundación Lázaro Galdiano: https://www.flg.es/
• Virtual tour of the Lázaro Galdiano Museum provided by Google Arts & Culture

See also

In Spanish: Museo Lázaro Galdiano para niños