Don’t forget about MAN
The National Archaeological Museum, known as MAN for its Spanish acronym, remains solemnly in the heart of Calle Serrano. Not as popular as the Prado or the Thyssen, this museum contains a lot of history from an archaeological point of view.
Since its expensive (in terms of time and money) renovation, MAN reopened with new energy and activities, such as its free guided tours for a maximum of 20 people. The next ones will take place on February 16, 22 and 23. They will start at the museum’s entrance meeting point. You can purchase your free ticket up to one hour before the start of the tour at the ticket office.
The current temporary exhibition is called ‘The Power of the Past’, whose objective is to analyse how Spain’s material construction took place. In other words, discovering where we come from through the items and objects which reveal who we are. All of which is framed within the last 150 years so, in other words, this is an exhibition on the art of compiling expository material. The items are of great interest in themselves, but especially when they narrate this museum development. Gonzalo Ruiz Zapatero, the exhibition’s curator, points out that “this exhibition intends to celebrate the 150th anniversary [of the creation of the National Archaeological Museum]”.
Also don’t miss out on the Zero Cabinet (Vitrina Cero), titled ‘At the service of worship’, which focuses on four specific items, extraordinary exhibits which tell us how religion was experienced in the Middle Ages. These items had not yet been shown to the public until now, after recently being acquired by the museum.
As well as these attractions we can find its permanent exhibits, ranging from prehistoric times to the Modern Age passing through Roman Hispania, ancient civilisations, medieval times and items from ancient Greece, the Middle East and Egypt.
Categories: Madrid Cultura
