Why are there museums of America in Spain, even a schoolboy will guess: the Spaniard Columbus discovered two new continents, and soon the conquistadors were drawn there. Their labours (not always righteous) delivered unique monuments of Indian culture to Europe. The National Museum of the Americas in Madrid has its most extensive collection. In its halls, you can learn how the Indians lived until the Spanish crown subjugated their lands. And if you come to Madrid with your children, show them the Indian feather headdresses.
A permanent exhibition of 25,000 items occupies two floors of the Museo de América. The exhibits of the pre-Columbian era are especially attractive: expressive figurines, masks, painted vessels, fragments of architectural monuments, clothes and jewellery. The Aztec codices are exciting — handwritten books using pictograms instead of words.
The art of America during its colonization is also presented in the museum. Painting, sculpture, arts and crafts of those times are distinguished by their originality. The exposition of the Museum of America is very interesting. "Knowledge of America" is the material Europeans heard about the New World before Columbus travelled and after his return with the news of the discovery. "Reality of America" — a set of multimedia exhibits representing the nature of North and South America, the indigenous people of these continents and their culture. Sections "Society", "Communication", and "Religion" deal with various aspects of the life of Indian tribes.
It will be easier for a child to perceive information at the Museum of America if he reads the myths and legends of the Indians before going there. Children enjoy free admission and can also take part in a museum quest. To do this, you need to take a sheet with tasks from the museum's ticket office and try to complete them, carefully examining the showcases with exhibits. One of the quest routes is designed for children 3-7 years old, and the second — is for children 8-12 years old. At the end of the game, the child will receive a diploma (however, to read the tasks, you need to know Spanish).
