El Infierno y las Maravillas – Biblioteca Nacional de España
Free permanent exhibition of the National Library of Spain, on level -1 of the Recoletos building, which replaced the former museum.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The National Library of Spain was founded in 1711 as the Real Biblioteca, on the initiative of Philip V. Its building on the Paseo de Recoletos, designed by Francisco Jareño y Alarcón, was begun in 1866 and opened in 1896. It holds a copy of everything published in Spain, as well as incunabula, manuscripts, maps, photographs and sound recordings.
The museum the library had for many years was completely reformed, and on 27 February 2024 “El Infierno y las Maravillas” (“Hell and Wonders”), a permanent exhibition, opened on level -1 in its place. The title alludes to the places where libraries kept forbidden books and to those where they displayed their most precious ones.
The route covers four rooms: “Creación, lectura: conocimiento”, “Los infiernos tan humanos”, “El libro de las maravillas” (with the sections “Cartografías maravillosas” and “El libro expandido”) and “Las máquinas de la memoria y el futuro”. Highlights include Aby Warburg’s Mnemosyne Atlas and Joan Fontcuberta’s work “Fahrenheit 451”. For younger visitors, three comic-book characters created by Núria Tamarit accompany the visit.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition “El Infierno y las Maravillas” since 2024
- Four rooms on creation, censorship, books and memory
- Aby Warburg’s Mnemosyne Atlas
- Joan Fontcuberta’s work “Fahrenheit 451”
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- El Infierno y las Maravillas – Permanent exhibition in four rooms on creation, reading, forbidden and precious books, maps and the machines of memory.
- Operated by
- Biblioteca Nacional de España
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission to the exhibition and the exhibition rooms. Consulting the collections in the reading rooms requires a reader’s card (carné de lector).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- 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
Step-free access via the ground floor and lifts; one lift serves level -1. Reception staff help anyone who needs it. There are two wheelchairs on the ground floor and reserved parking spaces. Magnifiers, adapted computers, Braille books and sound recordings are available.
Kids & families
Three comic-book characters created by Núria Tamarit accompany children during the route.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Colón
Metro: line 4, Colón and Serrano stations. Cercanías commuter rail: Recoletos station. Bus: lines 1, 5, 9, 14, 19, 21, 27, 37, 45, 51, 53, 74, 150 and C03.
By car
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
- Café
Café open Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, 9:00–19:00.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided and unguided visits are offered; the conditions are published on the library’s website. There are also guided visits of the building on weekdays, usually at 12:00 and 17:00, with limited places. |
