Royal Collections Gallery

The idea of creating the museum was first mooted in 1998, but the vision was slow to come to fruition. After numerous delays in construction and its opening, it was finally inaugurated in 2023.

What to see in the Royal Collections Gallery

Beginning our tour of the museum from the bottom upwards, on floor -3 we find the temporary exhibitions, a space that has been carefully tended to in detail and where you can currently see part of the impressive collection of royal vehicles and carriages.

From this floor, it's possible to access a terrace that extends over the Campo del Moro Gardens. You can go out to enjoy the views and re-enter through the same door without any problem.

Moving upstairs, on floor -2, is the space dedicated to the Bourbons, where you can see royal carriages, musical instruments and decorative objects, as well as numerous portraits and historical paintings.

Among the numerous paintings in the galleries' collection, it's worth highlighting the portrait of Charles IV, a small and surprising painting created in 1818 in which the monarch was immortalised from a very peculiar point of view for the time, as he is portrayed from behind.

Floor -1 is dedicated to the Habsburg period. Next to the entrance, we find the Solomonic columns, impressive Baroque columns over 5 metres (16.4 ft) high created in 1678 to form part of the church of the Virgen de Montserrat Hospital in Madrid.

In this area, we also find one of the most surprising parts of the museum. These are the remains of the Arabic wall that protected the city in the 9th century, which were uncovered during the construction of the museum and have been preserved as a precious treasure.

A pleasant surprise

The Royal Collections Gallery in Madrid is a very pleasant museum to visit thanks to its surprisingly varied exhibits, which are displayed in a flowing manner, allowing you to discover many details about life in their time.

The museum's location in the Plaza de la Armería, next to the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral, makes it an outstanding place for visitors to Madrid. Next to the museum, you can enjoy a beautiful viewpoint that completes the cultural visit.

• If you want to discover every corner of the museum without missing the best details, the best thing to do is to book a visit with a professional guide who will help you make the most of the exhibitions and their history.
• Enjoy a guided tour of the Gallery of the Royal Collections.