Museo Nacional de Antropología (Madrid) facts for kids
| Museo Nacional de Antropología | |
_01.jpg)
Museum's main facade
|
|
| Established | 1875 |
|---|---|
| Location | Madrid, Spain |
| Type | Archaeological and ethnographic |
| Public transit access | Madrid-Atocha   |
| Official name: Museo Nacional de Antropología' | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1962 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0001384 |
The National Museum of Anthropology (also known as Museo Nacional de Antropología in Spanish) is a special museum in Madrid, Spain. It's close to the Parque del Buen Retiro and the Atocha train and metro station. This museum is the oldest of its kind in Spain. It first opened its doors on April 29, 1875.
Contents
History of the Museum
The idea for this museum came from a doctor named Pedro González de Velasco. He wanted to create a museum about human anatomy. Over time, the museum's focus changed. It started looking more at different cultures and how people live. This is known as cultural anthropology.
Exploring the Museum's Collections
The museum has three main floors. Each floor shows amazing things from different parts of the world. You can learn about different cultures and how people lived long ago.
Ground Floor: Asia and Early Exhibits
The ground floor takes you on a journey to Asia. It pays special attention to the culture of the Philippines. The Philippines was a Spanish colony until 1898. Many items here came from an exhibition in 1885.
This floor also has rooms for temporary exhibitions. There is a special "cabinet of curiosities." This room shows what early museums looked like. You can see a plaster cast and the skeleton of the "Extremaduran Giant." This was a very tall man named Agustín Luengo Capilla. There are also statues and casts of different human types.
First Floor: Discovering Africa
The first floor is dedicated to Africa. It has many interesting items from the culture of Equatorial Guinea. This country in Africa was a Spanish colony until 1959. You can learn about the traditions and daily life of people from this region.
Second Floor: The Americas
The second floor explores the cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. You can see unique items from different groups. Some examples include Jivaro reduced heads. These are small, preserved heads. You can also see colorful Andean Carnival masks. There are even Inuit sun goggles, which people used to protect their eyes from bright snow.
Lecture Hall: Music and Learning
The museum also has a lecture hall. Here, visitors can enjoy performances of traditional music and dances. It is also used for educational talks and lectures.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Nacional de Antropología (España) para niños
