Museum Cerralbo

It was built between 1883 and 1893 and has three walls that run along Ferraz St., Ventura Rodrigues St., and Álvarez Mendizábal St., where the main entrance is located. At the intersection of these three streets, there’s a small building, well, really a gazebo, which makes it stand out. The building serves the double function of private residence and art gallery/museum where an ample and diverse collection is on display. The museum finally celebrated its re-opening in December 2010 after having been undergoing renovations since 2002. The renovations were focused on capturing the original atmosphere of the museum, taking furniture, decoration, pictures, and photographs from the era into consideration. There are a total of four floors, only two of which are open to the public (the basement and attic are closed to visitors).

The Cerralbo Museum isn’t one of the most popular in Madrid, but does give a good picture of how the aristocracy lived in the 20th century. The decoration is as it was in its day, and the interior boasts a spectacular bathroom (with an incredibly luxurious bathtub and toilet, given the era), coats of arms, photographs, paintings from a range of painters, and lots more. The most impressive things are definitely the huge art collection and the enormous ballroom. You can enjoy all the museum has to offer for less than 3 euros, although the entry in free on Thursday afternoons from 6pm until closing time.