Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo

Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo (CA2M) is a contemporary art museum in Móstoles, a city just southwest of Madrid. It holds and displays the art collection belonging to the Community of Madrid — more than a thousand works created mainly from the second half of the twentieth century to the present day.

Where exactly is CA2M located?

The building sits in the center of Móstoles, one of the larger cities in the Madrid metropolitan area, reachable by metro and regional trains from central Madrid. The location is deliberate: Móstoles has invested in cultural offerings for years as a counterweight to the capital's flagship institutions, and CA2M is the most visible result of that effort.

What does the name "Dos de Mayo" mean?

The name refers to May 2nd, the date of the Community of Madrid's regional holiday, established to commemorate the 1808 uprising of Madrid residents against Napoleon's occupying forces. It is a local regional holiday rather than a national one, and the choice of name underlines that the center is an institution created and funded by the regional government.

What makes up the collection, and where did it come from?

The core of the holdings is the Community of Madrid's contemporary art collection, comprising more than a thousand pieces across disciplines — from painting and photography to installation and video art. Since 2014, CA2M has also served as the custodian of the Fundación ARCO Collection, adding several hundred further works. This lets the exhibition program combine displays of the permanent collection with temporary shows — both solo and group — as well as projects that go beyond a strictly museum-style format.

What does the space itself look like?

The building covers close to 5,900 square meters, with exhibition galleries spread across three floors. Visitors also have access to an auditorium seating around a hundred people, a library, a cafeteria, and a terrace used for open-air activities, from intimate events to film screenings and debates. This layout lets CA2M function not just as a gallery but as a gathering point built around art.

What can visitors expect to see?

The program is organized around four main strands: displays from the permanent collection, group exhibitions, solo exhibitions, and accompanying activities such as talks, film screenings, and discussions. Exhibitions rotate regularly, so returning visitors usually find a different arrangement of works than on a previous trip, even where part of the collection stays on view.

Is it worth combining a visit with the rest of Móstoles?

The center sits in a city that rarely appears on tourist routes centered on downtown Madrid, so a visit to CA2M is a good opportunity to see a more local side of the region — away from the crowds at the Prado or the Reina Sofía, but with a similarly ambitious art program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is admission to CA2M free? Yes, admission is free — there is no charge to view the exhibitions.

Which days is the museum closed? The center is closed on Mondays, as well as on a handful of holidays in December and January (December 24, 25, and 31, and January 1 and 6).

How do you get to CA2M from Madrid? Móstoles is well connected to central Madrid by metro and regional Cercanías trains, and the journey typically takes several dozen minutes.

Is there a permanent exhibition at CA2M? Part of the Community of Madrid's collection is displayed in a relatively stable way, but the exhibition program changes regularly, so the arrangement of works differs between visits.