A free city history museum in a former poorhouse on Calle de Fuencarral, housed in a building with one of the most spectacular Baroque doorways in Madrid — designed by Pedro de Ribera in 1721, a cascade of stucco figures and architectural ornament framing the entrance. The museum itself traces Madrid's development from the first settlements through the Habsburg and Bourbon periods to the 20th century.
Highlights include a famous 1:500 scale model of Madrid made in 1830, Goya's allegorical painting of the city, and maps, paintings, and objects from every period of Madrid's history. Free entry. Often quieter than the major museums. Metro Tribunal or Alonso Martínez.