Museo L'Iber de Soldaditos de Plomo

The L'Iber Tin Soldiers Museum is one of those oddities that surprises even visitors who arrive with no expectations. It holds the world's largest collection of tin soldiers, over a million pieces, inside a Gothic palace on Calle Caballeros, in the Ciutat Vella district. Recreating entire battles at tiny scale is just the start: the whole history of humanity fits here in miniature.

History and what makes it special

The museum is the fruit of the collecting passion of Álvaro Noguera, a Valencian businessman who died in 2006, and it opened in 2007, fulfilling his childhood dream. It's now run by his son, a doctor in History and an archaeologist. It occupies the Palace of the Marquises of Malferit, a stately home from the late 14th or early 15th century, making the visit a double treat: figures and architecture. The collection is certified as a world record with 1,200,000 pieces, of which around 90,000 are on display.

What to see

• The Battle of Almansa diorama (1707), with more than 9,000 figures: the main highlight of the museum.
• The themed rooms: Tirant lo Blanc, the Silk Route, Rome, the Middle Ages, the Napoleonic Wars and the Corpus Christi.
• The Gothic palace itself and its halls.

Practical tips

Admission is inexpensive. It opens on limited hours (for example, Sunday mornings), so check days and times before going. It's a stone's throw from the Silk Exchange and the Church of San Nicolás, on the same Calle Caballeros.

Insider tip

Local secret: it's a good plan for rainy or scorching days, and a surprising hit with children (and with adults who won't admit how much they love it). Spend a good while on the Almansa diorama and hunt for the little comic details the builders hide among the troops. Slot it into our things to do in Valencia with kids guide and, while you're in the neighbourhood, take in more art and culture in El Carmen.