The Lázaro Galdiano Museum displays the collection of publisher and art collector José Lázaro Galdiano in his former home at Calle de Serrano, 122, in Madrid’s Salamanca district. Paintings by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco and Hieronymus Bosch sit alongside arms, jewellery, ceramics, medals and other objects from different periods. The mansion and its garden are part of the visit, while the four floors let you explore a varied collection at a quieter pace than Madrid’s larger art museums.
A collector’s home in Salamanca
The museum is housed in Parque Florido, the former residence of José Lázaro Galdiano, a Madrid-based businessman, publisher and collector. He gathered paintings, books and objects over much of his life and also supported artists and cultural work. After his death in 1947, his collection passed to the Spanish state. The museum opened to the public on 27 January 1951.
The Italianate stone mansion is part of the experience. Its rooms display works and objects across four floors, and the garden gives you another part of the former estate to explore. The collection is varied, so a visit can move from paintings to small-scale objects and decorative arts without staying in one period or medium.
Paintings, arms and decorative arts
The collection includes paintings by Spanish artists such as Francisco de Goya, Diego Velázquez, El Greco and Francisco de Zurbarán, alongside work by Hieronymus Bosch and artists from other European schools. You can also find sculpture, drawings, miniatures and manuscripts.
Look beyond the paintings for objects such as armour, swords, medals, jewellery, ceramics, bronzes, ivory, enamel work, textiles and glass. Medieval and Renaissance metalwork is among the collection’s notable strengths. The range reflects Galdiano’s interest in collecting across different forms, not only in building a picture gallery.
The museum displays part of a collection that numbered more than 11,000 pieces at the time of Galdiano’s death. The number shown in different accounts varies, so the collection is best understood as a large personal archive of art and objects rather than a fixed count on display.
Planning your visit
The museum is at Calle de Serrano, 122, in the Salamanca district. It is closed on Mondays. From Tuesday to Friday, visits are in the late afternoon and evening; Saturday and Sunday visits are in the morning. Check the museum’s current visitor information before setting out, especially if you are planning around a particular event.
A museum app provides multimedia guides, with both free and paid options. The museum also holds music, dance and poetry events, which can add a performance to a visit. The building has wheelchair-accessible entrance, elevator and restroom facilities, as well as an assistive hearing loop and assisted-listening devices.
Häufige Fragen
Where is the Lázaro Galdiano Museum?
It is at Calle de Serrano, 122, in Madrid’s Salamanca district.
What can you see at the museum?
The collection includes paintings by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco and Bosch, as well as armour, jewellery, ceramics, medals, sculpture and other objects.
Is the Lázaro Galdiano Museum open on Mondays?
No. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Does the museum have an audio or multimedia guide?
A museum app provides multimedia guides, with free and paid options.
