La 'Metro Comic, a journey through comic panels' exhibition It has quickly established itself as one of the most striking cultural offerings linked to Madrid's public transport. In just three months since its opening in the Pacífico Engine Shed, the exhibition has surpassed 5.000 visitsa figure that confirms the pull of comic and of industrial heritage among the public.
In this project, the Madrid's Underground It goes from being simply a means of transport to becoming setting and protagonist of graphic storiesStations, trains, tunnels and technical spaces serve as a backdrop for a selection of national and international works, as well as the company's own publications, which explore daily life and the collective memory of the subway through the language of comics.
A cultural proposal that combines comics and urban transport
The exhibition is part of the activities of the Subway MuseumsAn initiative that seeks to bring the historical and architectural heritage of the subway closer to the public. This time, the focus is on the ninth art, bringing together pieces that transform the subway facilities into narrative settings where fiction, memory and reflection on the city coexist.
As highlighted by Minister of Housing, Transport and Infrastructure, Jorge RodrigoThe metro is “part of the lives of Madrid residents” and a true witness to their daily lives. Hence, numerous authors have been inspired by platforms, corridors and stations to create vignettes that capture everyday scenes, fantastic situations, or critical views of the city.
The exhibition brings together publications of the metropolitan company Alongside comics from various countries that have placed the subway, both in Madrid and other urban systems, at the heart of the narrative, the exhibition highlights how underground transport, far from being a mere backdrop, becomes a space charged with symbolism, encounters, and interwoven stories.
In addition to showcasing already well-known works, the initiative aims to highlight the role of comics , the tool for dissemination, memory and heritageThe visitor not only observes printed pages, but can recognize in them spaces that they pass through daily, which generates a close and, in many cases, quite emotional connection with the content.
La Region of Madrid It emphasizes that this reception, with more than 5.000 attendees in such a short time, helps to strengthen the position of the Metro Museums within the regional cultural offeringsespecially in the field of industrial heritage and popular culture.
A thematic tour: from classic comics to the memory of the subway
The exhibition itinerary is structured into several thematic areas which allow visitors to delve into different ways of understanding the metro through comics. Far from being limited to a simple chronological overview, the exhibition invites them to discover how the authors' imaginations have transformed the Madrid subway into a universe of their own.
The first stop is Fantasy travels by subway, a section inspired by the first comic published by the public company in 1980That comic, designed to introduce the subway system to users, proposed a journey through real stations and imaginary destinations, mixing the informative function with a fantastic narrative that is revisited today with a historical perspective.
In this area, visitors can see how the subway was already being used as a means of transportation since the end of the 20th century. pedagogical and creative resource, with characters who moved between platforms, trains and connections to explain the workings of the network, but also to open the door to impossible worlds that were born from its tunnels.
Another of the highlighted areas is Metrographies: Stories of the Metro, energy and Madrid, a heritage project that uses the language of comics to tell the origins of the company and its close relationship with the development of electrical energy in the capital. Through intertwined stories, it reconstructs how the subway grew at the same time as the face of the city changed.
In this section, comics act almost as visual documentsCombining historical accuracy with narrative techniques typical of sequential illustration, readers can follow characters through different eras, from the first electrification projects to the consolidation of the metro as the backbone of Madrid's transportation system.
The entire route is designed so that both comic book fans and people unfamiliar with this medium can Understanding the role of the subway as an urban iconExplanatory panels, enlarged pages Contextualized materials help to situate each work and relate it to the development of underground transport.
The Pacific Engine Room: an emblematic space of industrial heritage
The exhibition is being held at the Pacific Engine Ship, one of the most recognizable landmarks of the Madrid Metro's heritage. This historic building, designed by the architect Antonio PalaciosIt was once a key facility for supplying electricity to the grid and today forms part of the Subway Museums.
This space, which in 2025 received more than 16.000 visitorsIt has established itself as a key resource for those wanting to learn about the technical and architectural history of the subway. Its large machines, period equipment, and industrial structure now serve as the backdrop for an exhibition that combines heritage, graphic art and dissemination.
The fact that the exhibition is free and located in such a unique building adds an extra attraction: those who come to see comics end up discovering one of the most emblematic spaces in the history of the subwayMeanwhile, those interested in engineering find an extra incentive to return thanks to the cultural program.
During the official visit, Councillor Jorge Rodrigo emphasized that the Engine Room is "one of the most symbolic spaces of the subway" and an example of how the industrial heritage can be reinterpreted through contemporary cultural proposals such as this exhibition focused on comics.
This combination of technical report and artistic creation The Engine Room becomes a particularly suitable setting to host 'Metro Comic, a journey between panels', as the visitor travels not only through illustrated pages, but also through a real environment that was part of the mechanism that made the metro possible as it is known today.
The Metro Museums and their growing importance in Madrid's cultural offerings
'Metro Comic' joins the group of Temporary exhibitions and activities that Metro de Madrid organizes in the various spaces that make up its museums. Currently, this heritage network consists of five historical sites: Chamberí, Caños del Peral, Nave de Motores, Chamartín and the old lobby of Pacífico.
These places, which have preserved since ghost stations From original lobbies to unique architectural elements, these spaces have gained prominence on the city's cultural agenda. According to data released by the Community of Madrid, in the last year they collectively exceeded 125.000 visitsThis reflects a growing interest in understanding the evolution of underground transport and its impact on the capital.
In this context, the positive reception of 'Metro Comic, a journey between panels' is interpreted as a further step in the Consolidation of the Metro Museums within the region's established cultural offerings. It's not just about one-off visits, but a steady flow of visitors drawn both by historical curiosity and the appeal of temporary exhibitions.
The programming combines from specialized guided tours including educational activities and themed exhibitions, allowing it to reach very diverse audiences: schoolchildren, architecture enthusiasts, comic book fans, cultural tourists or residents who simply want to rediscover little-known corners of the suburbs.
Thanks to this strategy, Metro de Madrid reinforces its role not only as a transport operator, but also as cultural agent who preserves and disseminates their own legacytaking advantage of both its historical spaces and the social interest in urban memory.
Free visits, advance booking and exhibition opening hours
The exhibition 'Metro Comic, a journey between panels' can be visited in a Delivery to Italy takes one or two business days in the Pacific Engine Room until next April 7It is available in two versions: tourFor those who prefer a tour with detailed explanations, and free visitdesigned for those who want to go at their own pace.
To access, you need to complete a book through the official website of the Subway Museums (museosmetromadrid.es). This system allows for the organization of groups and the management of capacity, something especially relevant in a space with heritage value and with smaller passageways than a conventional museum.
The opening hours are concentrated on weekends, making it easier for those who work or study during the week to attend. The exhibition is open on Friday of 16: 00 to 20: 00 hours; The Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. and from 16:00 p.m. to 20:00 p.m.; and the Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m.which leaves ample time to plan the visit.
Once inside, visitors can combine a stroll through the different comic book-themed areas with observing the original machines and components of the Engine Room, so that the experience is not limited to a simple display of panels, but is integrated into an authentic historical environment.
For many visitors, the activity becomes a Double opportunity: to get closer to comics and to discover a unique space of the Madrid metro. Hence the usual recommendation is to arrive with enough time to enjoy both the cartoons and the building itself.
With over 5.000 visits in just three months, a venue as iconic as the Engine Room, and a well-balanced combination of industrial heritage, comics and popularization'Metro Comic, a journey between panels' is positioned as one of the most interesting proposals on the current Madrid cultural scene for those who want to look at the metro from another perspective.
