The Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid is the city's botanical garden. It is located in Plaza de Murillo, very close to the Prado Museum.

The garden was created because it was wanted by Ferdinand VI and officially founded on 17 October 1755. At the time it was located in the Orchard of Migas Calientes (today near the Puerta de Hierro) close to the Manzanares river. It was then transferred to its current site in 1774 and opened in 1781. The collection of plants was considerable, about two thousand. The museum's objective was not only to exhibit plants but also to disseminate botany. Ofggi, his herbarium is the largest in Spain, with over one million specimens. About 10,000 plants were added to the garden, brought to Spain by Alessandro Malaspina in 1794.

In 1942 it was declared an artistic garden. In 1974, after a decade of neglect, it was closed to the public for a restoration, which brought it back to its original design, and reopened in 1981.