An exhibition inside the Museo de Historia de Madrid pairs forty historic photographs of the capital with images taken from the same spots today. The project, built through the technique of rephotography, lines up past and present frame by frame, showing which corners of Madrid have barely changed and which have vanished completely.
What it is
The forty rephotographs come from the archive built up by Valentín Andrés Pérez Serén, published as the book of the same name by Ediciones La Librería and documented daily on the Instagram account @elpasadodemadrid. Each pair sets a historic photograph, sourced from archives such as the Biblioteca Nacional, Memoria de Madrid and private family collections, against a new image taken from the same vantage point.
The subjects range from the Palacio de Cristal in El Retiro and the storefronts of Gran Vía to street scenes that no longer exist, such as the shanty settlements once cleared from Cerro del Tío Pío or the itinerant photographers who used to work Sunday mornings at El Rastro. The exhibition is staged in the museum's Patio Dorado (Golden Hall), a space that adds its own historic backdrop to the photographic dialogue.
Why it's worth attending
The exhibition works as a visual record of how specific corners of Madrid have held their shape or disappeared outright, rather than a general history lesson. It draws on more than a year of fieldwork matching historic images to their present-day locations, and pulls from private family archives alongside institutional collections such as Memoria de Madrid, giving several of the photographs a personal, previously unpublished angle.
Practical info
The exhibition sits in the museum's Patio Dorado, an open courtyard on the ground floor, so it can be viewed as a quick stop alongside the permanent collection rather than a separate ticketed visit. No booking is needed and there's no separate entrance: visitors pass through as part of the general museum route.
FAQ
What is Madrid entre épocas at the Museo de Historia?
It's a free rephotography exhibition of 40 photographs pairing historic images of Madrid with present-day shots taken from the same spot, based on the work of Valentín Andrés Pérez Serén and his Instagram project @elpasadodemadrid, on show in the museum's Patio Dorado until 4 October 2026.
Do I need a ticket to see the exhibition?
No. Entry to the Museo de Historia de Madrid, including this temporary exhibition, is free and does not require advance booking; visitors join the general museum route.
Where is the Museo de Historia de Madrid?
The museum is at Calle de Fuencarral, 78, in the Malasaña/Justicia area, a short walk from Tribunal metro station (lines 1 and 10).
How long does the exhibition run?
The exhibition runs from 30 April to 4 October 2026, Tuesday to Sunday, with the museum closing on Mondays.
Who is Valentín Andrés Pérez Serén?
He's the author behind the rephotography project and book Madrid entre épocas, known for documenting Madrid's visual memory through his Instagram account @elpasadodemadrid, which pairs historic and present-day images of the city.
