Fundación Juan March is one of those places that you can’t believe took you so long to discover. It’s been around in Madrid since 1955, when it was set up by a philanthropic financier Juan March Ordinas with the aim to promote Spanish culture.
Not only does it have interesting exhibitions that cover a range of diverse topics, but it also has free lunchtime and early evening concerts every week, usually classical or jazz, as well as free lectures and film showings. The exhibitions never seem to be crowded, and there is no need to book – just stroll in. It is not a huge space, but the shows are always well curated and often educational. If you want to see a concert or attend a talk, you must reserve online, which is pretty painless (you can do it through Facebook). A word of warning; the concerts only accommodate an audience of about 90 people, so be ready to get online at 09:00am on a Saturday, when the tickets are released. The photo features a dance performance from a free midsummer cultural event that takes place there every June – magical.
One other thing I like about Juan March: the very well-priced quality postcards and posters (50 centimos and 5 euros respectively). I also love the location; leafy and serene, and near La Cazorla Castelló (check out my article), one of my favourite restaurants.
