Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares

About the museum

The Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares of the Autonomous University of Madrid opened in 1975 on the Cantoblanco campus, thanks to the donation of Guadalupe González-Hontoria y Allendesalazar, who contributed more than 2,500 pieces. In 2011 it moved to a corrala on calle de Carlos Arniches, in the heart of El Rastro, where it shares premises with the Centro Cultural La Corrala.

The building is a traditional Madrid corridor house built around 1860 around a central courtyard. Originally the ground floor functioned as a commercial gallery and cart stop, and the upper floors were homes and lodging houses for families who had come to the capital in search of work. It was lived in until the 1990s; after years of decay, the town council refurbished it with a project by the architect Jaime Lorenzo that combines modern materials with original elements.

The museum’s ethnographic holdings, which come from all over Spain, exceed 8,000 objects, mostly related to everyday life. The exhibition dwells on celebrations and festivities, both private, such as baptisms or weddings, and those of the calendar, including Christmas, Carnival and Holy Week. Each month a “piece of the month” is highlighted, and the museum has a library specialising in ethnography and museology and publishes the journal Narria.

Highlights

• More than 8,000 ethnographic objects from across Spain
• Refurbished 19th-century corrala building in Madrid
• Exhibition on celebrations and popular festivities
• Highlighted “piece of the month” from the collection
• Library specialising in ethnography and museology

Permanent exhibition

• Colección permanente de artes y tradiciones populares – Display of ethnographic objects from across Spain linked to everyday life, with a section on private celebrations and festivities of the calendar.

Founded

1975

Operated by

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free. Individual visits or groups of fewer than 7 people do not need booking; groups of 8 to 20 people must book by email (visitas.atp@uam.es) or by telephone.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The building has a lift. The Autonomous University of Madrid publishes an accessibility statement on its website.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

BiciMAD stations at Plaza de la Cebada, 3, and at the roundabout of the Puerta de Toledo, 1.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The Centro Cultural La Corrala rents out the assembly hall, the foyer, a meeting room, three seminar rooms and a temporary exhibition room (lacorrala@uam.es).

Plan your visit