Museum of the Army (Toledo) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Museum of the Army

Museo del Ejército
Established	2010 on present site
Location	Toledo, Spain
Owner	General State Administration
Public transit access	Toledo railway station

The Museum of the Army (in Spanish, Museo del Ejército) is a special museum in Toledo, Spain. It's a national museum, meaning it belongs to the country. It's connected to Spain's Ministry of Defence.

This museum opened in its current location in 2010. Before that, its amazing collection was in Madrid. The museum is actually in two connected buildings: the old, famous Alcázar (which is a castle) and a newer building built just for the museum.

Discover the Museum's Long History

The story of the Museum of the Army began a long time ago, in 1803. Back then, it was called the royal military museum. It was set up in a building in Madrid called the Palacio de Monteleón. This building was also used as a place for soldiers to live.

In 1808, the building was attacked and looted by French forces. This happened during an event called the Dos de Mayo Uprising. After this, the museum was set up again. In 1827, it was split into two parts: the Artillery Museum and the Engineers Museum. Later, all the collections were brought back together. They were kept in a grand hall called the Hall of Realms.

Moving to Toledo

In the 21st century, the museum's collections were moved from Madrid to Toledo. The new location offered much more space for all the exhibits. The place chosen, the Alcázar, was famous for its role in the Spanish Civil War. During that time, the castle was held by a group called the Nationalists.

After the war, the ruined building became a symbol of their victory. Even with this history, the way the museum's content was chosen and displayed caused some discussion. The new museum was officially opened in 2010 by Felipe, who was then the Prince of Asturias.

Explore the Alcázar: Permanent Exhibitions

The historic Alcázar building is where you'll find the museum's Permanent Exhibition. Some rooms show the history of Spain and its army in order, from oldest to newest. Other rooms group items by themes, like different types of weapons or uniforms.

The Modern New Building

The new annex building of the museum

The new building is very modern and has many important areas. It holds the museum's offices and a special room for Temporary Exhibitions. There's also a section about the Army in modern times.

You can find a classroom for learning, an auditorium for events, and a large archive. There's also a library, a coffee shop, and workshops where old items are fixed. All these areas use the latest technology to keep the museum's treasures safe and help people learn about them.

Amazing Archaeological Finds

Some of the items you'll see at the museum are very old and were found by archaeological digs. Before the new museum building was constructed, archaeologists dug up the area around the Alcázar. They found many interesting things from the past. These finds are now part of the museum's displays.

Unique Displays and Special Items

The museum has many interesting display cases. Some of these cases are works of art themselves, with decorations that match what's inside. You can also see many small models of famous battles.

One very special item from the 20th century is an Enigma machine from the 1930s. It even comes in its original box! Enigma machines were used to send secret messages during wars. Spain kept several of these machines, which were slightly changed versions of a machine used for business. They were given to Spain by Nazi Germany.

Gallery

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  Bronze cannon Plasencia of 9 cm Model 1878 Krupp. Manufactured in the Royal Artillery Factory of Seville

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  16th-century armours, Medinaceli Collection

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  Flag of Ramón Cabrera

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  Costume of a cavalryman of the Trozo de Milan

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  Japanese armor, end-Edo period (1603–1868)

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  Armor of the Duke of Alcalá

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  The personal sword, sultan clothing and shoes worn by Muhammad XII (last emir of Granada) during the battle of Lucena

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  Enigma machine

See also

In Spanish: Museo del Ejército (España) para niños