The Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, located at calle Montalbán 12, between the Paseo del Arte and the Parque del Retiro in Madrid, is one of the main museums dedicated to decorative arts in Europe. Housed in the 19th-century palace of the Duchess of Santoña, it offers an exhibition itinerary spread over five floors with over 60 rooms.
The collection includes approximately 70,000 objects, including furniture, textiles, ceramics, glassware, jewelry, ivory, furnishings, Chinese and Japanese porcelain, carpets, jewelry, and metal objects. The Oriental art section is also particularly noteworthy, including porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties and works of Spanish ceramics from Talavera, Toledo, and Alcora. Many rooms are set up as reconstructed environments – including a spectacular 18th-century Valencian kitchen covered with over 1,500 azulejos – allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the tastes and decorations of past eras.
Founded in 1912 with educational and cultural purposes similar to museums in London and Paris, today the museum organizes temporary exhibitions, workshops, and conferences on themes such as design, craftsmanship, and aesthetic evolution. Its modern layout, the accessibility of its spaces, and the presence of free guided tours by reservation make it a perfect destination for design enthusiasts, art historians, and curious tourists.