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Science, poetry and 1980s art: six free exhibitions in Madrid this September
Madrid enters September with several free exhibitions that make it possible to put together a cultural route far more interesting than a simple list of museums. There is poetry, photography, contemporary art, science and graphic humour, and some of the shows are already entering their final weeks.
One of the most urgent is “Gloria Fuertes (today)”, at Casa del Lector, within Matadero Madrid. The exhibition brings together poems and photographs preserved by the author to explore both her life and much of the 20th century. Admission is free and it can only be visited until 15 September, from Tuesday to Friday afternoons and throughout the weekend in split hours.
Also in its final stretch is “The Tempest. The Garden of Forking Paths”, the first institutional solo exhibition devoted to Avelino Sala in Madrid. It can be seen free of charge at CentroCentro until 20 September and brings together works addressing issues such as power, fragility, migration and the environmental crisis.
Those who prefer a more pop exhibition can head to Sala Alcalá 31. “Modern Mythologies: Ouka Leele & Co” continues there, revisiting the artistic Madrid of the late 1970s and 1980s through Ouka Leele, Ceesepe, El Hortelano, Carlos Franco and other names from that scene. Admission is free and it will remain open until 18 October.
On Gran Vía, Espacio Fundación Telefónica is keeping “Quantum Revolution” open until 11 October, a free exhibition with more than 120 pieces, historical objects, audiovisual works and interactive installations to explain everything from the fundamentals of quantum mechanics to the computing of the future. It is curated by Sonia Fernández-Vidal.
The Biblioteca Nacional offers another free option with “Pedro Moreno. Pro domo sua. Theatrical and cinematic art”. The exhibition traces the career of the set and costume designer, National Theatre Award recipient and winner of Max and Goya awards, and can be visited in the Sala Hipóstila until 10 January 2027.
In addition, from this very 4 September, Alcalá de Henares has a new exhibition. “Yesterday and Today. 100 Years of Graphic Humour” traces a century of comic strips and caricatures to show how the ways of making humour have changed while themes such as politics, corruption, climate and fashions keep reappearing. It is installed at the Antiguo Hospital de Santa María la Rica until 11 October and admission is also free.
I would not, however, include “Feather Art. Nature, Identity and Power” in a selection presented as free. The Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales exhibition does indeed bring together more than 70 pieces and can be seen until 17 January, but general admission to the museum currently costs 7 euros. Until 14 September, moreover, the reduced summer opening hours remove the usual free-admission slots.
For anyone who wants to make the most of September without paying admission, the first dates worth marking are 15 and 20 September, when the Gloria Fuertes and Avelino Sala exhibitions will close respectively. Ouka Leele, Quantum Revolution, Pedro Moreno and Alcalá's graphic humour leave a little more time.