Spanish Museum of Antiquities

The National Archaeological Museum in the Museo Español de Antigüedades

The intention of this project was to present the pages from the magazine Museo Español de Antigüedades (Spanish Museum of Antiquities) reproducing pieces being added to the collection of the National Archaeological Museum. Because of a political decision, this magazine, originally conceived as Museo Arqueológico Nacional to present only the MAN’s main pieces, had its interests broadened to include the national museums of Painting and Sculpture (the Prado and Trinidad Museums) and, in the end, even important private collections, but it was always officially considered the journal of the MAN, and Rada y Delgado’s position as editor influenced the importance given to studies of its objects.

In 1872, when the magazine began, the museum was organised into four sections, three of which have today been transformed and distributed into scientific departments, though the “fourth section,” Ethnography, is now exhibited in the Museum of America, the National Museum of Anthropology and the National Museum of Decorative Arts. Furthermore, various reorganisations of the collections have led to pieces going to other, more appropriate museums.

This is an open catalogue in which all the objects kept by the National Archaeological Museum can be consulted, and those of other institutions are being added.