The National Archaeological Museum in Madrid

The National Archaeological Museum was established in 1867 by a Royal Decree issued by Isabella II. This initiative followed an earlier, unmaterialized proposal from 1830 by the Royal Academy of History to create a museum of antiquities.

In 1895, the museum relocated to a new building specifically designed to house its collections. This neoclassical structure was designed by architect Francisco Jareño and was constructed between 1866 and 1892.

In 1968, renovation and extension works were undertaken, significantly increasing the museum's spatial capacity. The museum underwent further extensive renovation starting in 2008 and reopened in April 2014.

Following a restructuring in the 1940s, collections related to American Ethnography were transferred to the Museum of the Americas. Other foreign pieces were moved to the National Museum of Ethnography and the National Museum of Decorative Arts.

The National Archaeological Museum was designated as a 'Bien de Interés Cultural' (Asset of Cultural Interest) in 1962, a significant recognition of its heritage value within Spain.

After closing for extensive renovation in 2008, the National Archaeological Museum reopened its doors to the public in April 2014, revealing modernized facilities and exhibits.

The museum is housed in a neoclassical building designed by architect Francisco Jareño. Its construction took place between 1866 and 1892, preceding the museum's move into the structure in 1895.

The museum's primary collection focuses on pieces from the Iberian Peninsula, spanning from Prehistory to the Early Modern Age. It also includes significant collections from Ancient Greece (especially Magna Graecia), Ancient Egypt, and a smaller selection from the Near East.

The Hispano-Roman collection was notably enriched by items from the personal collection of the Marquis of Salamanca, purchased in 1874. These artifacts originated from the Paestum and Cales sites in the Italian Peninsula.

The museum's Egyptian collection includes many pieces acquired through purchases, notably from the collection of Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell. Other pieces came from excavations related to the Aswan Dam project.

The Greek collection was initially formed from pieces in the Royal Cabinet of Natural History and the National Library. It was later expanded with works from expeditions, such as those of the frigate Arapiles, and purchases of private collections, including those of the Marquis of Salamanca and Tomás Asensi.

In the 21st century, the museum acquired a Praying Sumerian figure at Christie's in 2001, adding to its Near East collection.

The alabaster praying statue of Peter I of Castile, originally from the convent of Santo Domingo el Real in Madrid, was moved to the National Archaeological Museum in 1868.