Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales — Attraction in Madrid

I recently visited the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid and was genuinely impressed. It’s the kind of place that strikes the right balance — fun and engaging for kids, but just as interesting for adults. There’s also a cafe just nearby to relax afterwards. Everything in the museum is written and explained both in Spanish and English so it’s very tourist-friendly.

One of the most striking things is getting to see life-size replicas of animals, from elephants to whales to dinosaurs. You can stare a tiger or a gorilla straight in the face — something you wouldn’t be able to do in the wild without putting yourself in serious danger. It really gives you a sense of their scale and presence.

There was a great exhibit on the history of dinosaurs. And one of my favorite parts was a photo exhibition showing animals in funny, human-like poses — funny and cleverly done. The exhibit explained how seeing animals this way can help people empathize with them, which in turn can raise awareness and motivate action to protect their habitats. Thoughtful, while also pretty entertaining.

Another interesting part of the museum is an exhibit dedicated to Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the Spanish neuroscientist who won a Nobel Prize for his work on the structure of the nervous system. The way his research is displayed feels almost like peeking into the early days of modern science — delicate drawings, old instruments, and lots of context. You can also see some of his photography - an interest he had on the side.

There’s also a beautiful old room that used to be part of a private natural history collection from a former mayor. It still has that “cabinet of curiosities” vibe — dark wood, antique display cases, and a mix of fossils, minerals, and preserved animals. It’s like stepping back in time, and it adds a really charming contrast to the more modern parts of the museum.

All in all, it’s a really worthwhile visit — part science, part history, and part wonder. Whether you’re with kids or just feeling curious yourself, there’s a lot to...

Updating--June 2022: Dinosaurs! They still have dinosaurs! Plus the historic skeleton the megatherium (an extinct ground sloth). Additionally, exhibits in the primary building have been progressively redone over the last several years to focus on biodiversity, evolution, heritability of genetic traits, and historical figures important to the museum's history. Plan between two and four hours. Tickets are checked for entrance on both sides of the building, and once exiting the initial (west) side of the building, you're not able to re-enter, so time any gift shop purchases on that side accordingly.

New ranking: five stars. Dinosaurs, the megatherium, and a generally calm environment.

Original--May 2017: Dinosaurs! Smaller than anticipated, but they've got dinosaurs! A little confusingly laid out, in that the paleontology section is accessible around the corner from the main admission and ticketing office. Plan about two hours if you (or your travelling companion)...

One of the most enjoyable sience places I have ever been... Very well coordinated It has differnet animals status organized so you can compare them... the biodiversity poster was very intersting along the major extinction events It has a small area about Darwin with video about his life and work There is space department on the 1st floor There is also a geological part which is like the backyard of the museum ( you have to get out of the museum so you can see it, just a oath between bushes and trees, nothing extraordinary) 2 things I liked most, the first is all the info are written in English along with spanish, so it saved me alot of time (except for the outdoor geo part which was only in spanish!) The second thing is the 3D printed models, so anyone with limited vision will not feel left out

I hoped there is a coffee or resting area with better seating than the autobar, as the place is suitable for families and kids sometimes need to rest and digest and take their time...