Museo de América, Madrid

In its glory days Spain ruled over most of Latin America, so it’s not surprising Madrid has one of the largest collections of Native American and pre-Columbian art anywhere, with 25,000 objects. Most travelers miss this museum, so it’s rarely crowded, and you’ll never have to wait in line. You’ll have to study the displays over the heads of crowds of kids, however, as this is a popular destination for local schools. Check out the gold of Aztec rulers, the feathered headdresses of Amazonian tribes, and the animal-shaped pottery of the Andes. One room has an interesting series of caste portraits, showing various combinations of ethnicities with their children. These portraits were hugely popular back in the day and reflect a colonial obsession with racial hierarchy.

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