Córdoba Archaeological Museum

About Córdoba Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Córdoba stands on Plaza de Jerónimo Páez in the old town, a few minutes' walk from the Mezquita. It has occupied the 16th-century Renaissance palace of the Páez de Castillejo family since 1960; Hernán Ruiz the Younger built the main façade and staircase around 1540. The palace stands over the ruins of Córdoba's Roman theatre, and part of the seating survives in one of the rooms.

The collection follows the city through prehistory and Iberian, Roman, Islamic and medieval times, reflecting its past as capital of Roman Baetica and later of the Caliphate. Highlights include the Iberian lion of Nueva Carteya from the 4th century BC, a marble Crouching Aphrodite, and the Mithras of Cabra, a rare complete free-standing statue of the god. One room is devoted to finds from Madinat al-Zahra, the caliphal city just west of Córdoba.

Allow about two hours. It is closed on Mondays, entry is free for EU citizens, and summer and winter timetables differ, so check current hours before going.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, though May fills the old town for the Patios festival. From mid-June to mid-September it closes in mid-afternoon, so go at opening time, before the worst of the heat.

Córdoba Archaeological Museum in pictures

What you’ll find

• Museum exhibitionExhibition visitTicket
• Museum galleriesMuseum visitTicket
• Museum workshopChildren educationBook

Nearby places to visit

The museum sits among several of Córdoba's smaller collections, all walkable. The Museum of Fine Arts of Córdoba (300 m) is on the Plaza del Potro and shows paintings, sculpture and drawings. Through the Jewish quarter, the Bullfighting Museum of Córdoba (500 m) occupies the 16th-century Casa de las Bulas on Plaza de Maimónides, and the Al-Iksir Alchemy Museum (500 m), opened in 2017, is devoted to medieval alchemy. If you want a round of golf, Arruzafa Golf (3 km) is a nine-hole pitch and putt beside the Parador on the northern edge of the city. The Mezquita and the Roman bridge are only a few minutes away on foot.