Naval Museum of Madrid, Naval Museum at Paseo del Prado, Spain
The Naval Museum of Madrid occupies the Navy Ministry building on Paseo del Prado and houses an extensive collection of ship models, sea charts, and navigation equipment from different periods. The exhibition spans multiple floors and displays objects that document the history of Spanish seafaring and exploration voyages.
The museum was founded in 1792 and reflects Spain's dependence on seafaring, especially during the age of exploration and colonization. It was moved to its current building to place it closer to other cultural institutions in the city.
The museum displays navigation tools and maps that show how sailors explored the oceans in earlier centuries. Visitors can see the instruments and charts that were used to discover and document new lands.
The museum is located near Madrid's city center and is open to visitors from Tuesday through Sunday. Plan to spend at least two to three hours to explore the exhibitions and appreciate the collections properly.
The museum preserves a rare map by Juan de la Cosa from 1500 that shows the first cartographic depiction of the American coast after Columbus's voyages. This map is an important testimony to geographic knowledge in the early modern period and shows how Europeans began to understand the New World.
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