Museo de la Alhambra

About the museum

The museum was created in 1942 under the name Museo Arqueológico de la Alhambra, on the proposal of Manuel Gómez-Moreno, although its holdings had begun to be gathered and catalogued in the mid-19th century at various points in the monument. In 1962 it became the Museo Nacional de Arte Hispanomusulmán and came under the Ministry of Culture. In 1994 it adopted its current name and was integrated into the Patronato de la Alhambra y el Generalife (Board of the Alhambra and Generalife).

Since 1995 its rooms have occupied the ground floor of the Palace of Charles V, whose rehabilitation project received the National Prize for the Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Property that same year. The permanent exhibition is spread over seven rooms arranged in chronological order, from the Muslim conquest of the Peninsula in the 7th century to the end of the Nasrid period in 1492.

The holdings include the finest existing collection of Nasrid art, coming mainly from excavations and restorations carried out in the Alhambra itself, and a selection of Hispano-Muslim pieces and Eastern Islamic art that help explain the evolution of this art in al-Andalus and the Arab world. Notable are the domestic ceramics, including the famous Vase of the Gazelles, the architectural elements in marble and plaster, and the decorated wooden ceilings.

Highlights

• Vase of the Gazelles, the main piece of Hispano-Muslim ceramics
• Finest collection of Nasrid art, from excavations and restorations at the Alhambra
• Columns, carved panels and plasterwork of Nasrid architecture
• Wooden ceilings in apeinazado (interlaced) work, decorated with marquetry
• Seven chronological rooms from the 7th century to 1492
• Free admission

Permanent exhibition

• Exposición permanente – Seven rooms in chronological order showing the development of Hispano-Muslim culture from the 7th century to 1492, with Nasrid art from the Alhambra.

Founded

1942

Operated by

Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

The visit to the permanent exhibition is free.

Accessibility

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

The rooms are on the ground floor of the Palace of Charles V; access for people with physical disabilities to the Museo de Bellas Artes on the upper floor is through this museum. The Patronato lends wheelchairs, subject to availability, in the access pavilion of the monument.

Kids & families

• Stroller-friendly: not available

Baby seats are not allowed inside the museum. The Patronato offers free storage of pushchairs and loan of baby carriers at the left-luggage office at the Puerta del Vino, on presentation of the monument's ticket for the day.

Getting there & parking

The rooms are on the ground floor of the Palace of Charles V, entered through its main vestibule.

Amenities & dining

Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit