Museum of the Americas

The museum was created in April 1941, giving shape to an idea that had been developing for a long time under different names such as the Overseas Museum and Library or the Archaeological Museum of the Indies. In 1943, the architects Luis Moya and Luis Martínez Feduchi were commissioned to design the current museum building, with construction beginning that same year and finishing in 1954.

The collections housed in the Museum of the Americas consist of the former collections of American archaeology and ethnography from the National Archaeological Museum, which had previously belonged to the Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as donations, deposits, and acquisitions of new works. Its subject matter covers a broad period from American prehistory to the present day, with special emphasis on pre-Columbian archaeology, ethnography, and colonial art.

The collection comprises more than 25,000 objects.

The oldest collections belong to the Royal Cabinet of Natural History, founded in the mid-18th century. In 1868, these collections were transferred to the newly founded National Archaeological Museum. From that moment on, purchases and donations contributed to the growth of these American collections. In the second half of the 20th century, the colonial art collections increased significantly, while various pre-Columbian and ethnographic materials were also acquired. The collections allow us not only to admire unique pieces but also to appreciate the capacity of the American people to develop different life strategies that manifest themselves in diverse symbolic universes, often imbued with a strong sense of cultural fusion.