The Community of Madrid is set to open the doors of the Cardenal Cisneros, Cervantes, and San Isidro institutes, which are part of the region's Network of Historic Institutes, to highlight their scientific and cultural heritage. A programme of 40 guided tours, with 600 places available, will take place from 16 to 27 November. This initiative is part of the 26th Science and Innovation Week and will allow visitors to discover some of the unique collections preserved by these educational centres, including scientific instruments from various eras, educational resources, and documentary archives that reflect the evolution of research, culture, and education in Madrid.
Participants will have access to Natural History cabinets, laboratories, and school museums that house anatomical models, fossils, minerals, and other historical pieces related to the teaching of sciences. This activity aims to provide insight into one of the region's most distinctive cultural legacies from a scientific and technical perspective.
Details of the institutes
The IES Cardenal Cisneros, founded in 1845, will offer 20 guided tours with 300 places available. During the visit, the public can explore its Natural History Cabinet, which includes pieces donated by the National Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as collections of zoology, botany, and mineralogy. The itinerary will also feature the building designed by Francisco Jareño, considered one of the finest examples of 19th-century educational architecture.
The IES Cervantes will open its doors from 23 to 27 November, with five tours and 75 places. Recognised as the third oldest historical institute in Madrid, it is located in the former Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, a neo-Mudéjar style building also designed by Jareño. Inside, it houses a significant collection of posters, maps, and educational resources dated from the late 19th to early 20th centuries.
Meanwhile, the IES San Isidro will offer 15 guided tours and 225 places between 16 and 27 November. As the oldest educational institution in the region, it occupies the premises of the Imperial College, founded in 1603 by Empress María de Austria. Its museum, dedicated to science and education, features anatomical models, taxidermied animals, scientific instruments, and other educational materials that provide insight into over four centuries of teaching history in the capital.
Science and Innovation Week
The 26th Science and Innovation Week in Madrid is a science dissemination event organised by the regional government through the Foundation for Knowledge madri+d. Registrations for the guided tours will open on Monday at 9:00 am via the online reservation centre on the Community of Madrid's website.
