Studying in Spain – Journal 7: Museo Arqueológico Nacional
The National Archaeological Museum, or Museo Arqueológico Nacional in Spanish, is the most important archaeological museum in Spain. The museum has a collection of objects from the Iberian Peninsula, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. The items displayed in the museum are mostly from the prehistoric to early-modern age.
The National Archaeological Museum is located on Serrano Street, and the Plaza de Colon, or “Columbus Square” in English, is right next to it. The museum is also very close to the National Library of Spain. The closest metro stations to the museum are metro station Colon and metro station Serrano. Both stations are on metro line 4.
The National Archaeological Museum is open from 09:30 to 20:00 on Tuesday to Saturday, and from 9:30 to 15:00 on Sunday. The museum offers free access to all from 14:00 to 20:00 on Saturday, and in the morning on Sunday. A ticket for an adult costs 3€, and the museum offers a 1.5€ discount to students under 25 years old with a student ID.
Mercado San Anton and Museo Arqueológico Nacional
The Archaeological museum is located near the city center of Madrid and other famous museums in Madrid. The museum is quite big and you could easily spend a morning there looking at ancient items from different places. The ticket price is also quite cheap for a museum of this size, and the museum itself is well organized and very impressive.
The museum is perfect for people who are interested in the archaeology of Spain and other Mediterranean areas. It is not as popular among tourists as the Prado or Sofia museum, so the hallways won’t be as crowded, but the size and quality of its collection is just as remarkable. The walk through the museum is more tranquil and quiet than in Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art.
After spending the morning in the Archaeological museum, the San Anton Market is a 10-minute walk away. San Anton Market, or “Mercado San Anton” in Spanish, is a food market in the Chueca area of Madrid. The market is open from 10:00 to midnight every day. Different from the San Miguel market, there are three floors in total and the basement floor is a supermarket.
The San Anton market is a little bit less “touristy” than the San Miguel market. It is less crowded and there is more space to sit down and enjoy a meal. The San Anton market also offers a wide variety of traditional Spanish tapas and drinks, but it also offers food from other cultures as well.
Ramen Kagura express is on the second floor of the market, and it is the fast food version of Ramen Kagura, one of the most popular ramen places in Madrid. The ramen place does not only offer soup noodles, it also offers other types of Japanese food like sushi and takoyaki.
The San Anton market is a nice place to take a short walk and sit down for some food and drinks. The market has food from all over the world. The vibe there is relaxing and the place is well maintained and clean. It is definitely worth a visit if you are in Madrid.
