What is the current accepted structural model for the Milky Way galaxy?

Barred spiral galaxy (SBc or similar)

The current scientific consensus regarding the structure of the Milky Way classifies it as a barred spiral galaxy, often categorized under types such as SBc. This classification arises from decades of piecing together data gathered across various observational methods. The evidence points toward a central bar-shaped structure composed of older stars, with spiral arms sprouting not from the absolute core, but from the ends of this bar. This model is reinforced by the discovery of the central bar through infrared surveys, which aligns perfectly with the geometry observed in many similar, external spiral galaxies whose overall structure is visible to us.