Madrid Prado Museum
The Prado Museum boasts an extensive collection Spanish art, along with masterpieces from the Renaissance and Baroque eras by the likes of Raphael and Titian. Book Prado Museum tickets to enjoy skip-the-line entry, guided tours, or combo offers with Royal Palace of Madrid.Bestseller
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Pro tips to help you make a pick
Skip-the-Line Access and Guided Tours: Avoid long queues by purchasing a skip-the-line ticket for the Prado Museum. Get direct access to the museum and have a knowledgable guide take you through all the exhibits with in-depth insights into the artwork, techniques, and history on display. For a more enriching experience, try a combo ticket and visit surrounding attractions in Madrid.
Plan Your Visit: The Prado Museum, understandably, gets quite crowded, particularly during peak hours. You’ll give yourself a much better experience by planning ahead to avoid the masses, and opting instead for the more intimate eary morning or late noon time slots.
Map It Out: It can take up to 4 hours to explore the museum, and you might find yourself losing track of where you are along the way. There are free maps and visual guides at the Information Centre as soon as you enter after security check. Pick one up, and plan out your route. The map also has information on some of the masterpieces, and where exactly you can find them.
Restrictions: The Prado Museum is a stricrtly no photography, no pets, and no food and drink zone. Needless to say, there’s plenty of heartache and a hefty price tag for any damage within these walls. So check your items and valuables at the door, and find a pet sitter in advance.
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About Prado Museum
The Prado Museum in Madrid, showcases over 8,600 paintings, including Velázquez's 'Las Meninas' and Bosch's 'The Garden of Earthly Delights.' Its extensive collection spans from the 12th to early 20th centuries, with a focus on Spanish, Flemish, and Italian art, attracting art connoisseurs globally.
Commissioned by Charles III in 1785, Prado Museum was originally designed by Juan de Villanueva as a natural science museum. King Ferdinand VII and Queen Maria Isabel of Braganza later opted to use it to house the royal paintings, and the Museo Nacional Del Prado opened its doors in 1819.
Prado Museum boasts one of the most extensive collections of Francisco de Goya’s works, including over 150 paintings, over 600 drawings, over a 100 handwritten documents, and a selection of prints.
The most famous painting in the museum is Velázquez’s Las Meninas, one of the largest canvases from the Sevillian painter. Considered controversial for its defiance of genre, this snapshot of life at the Spanish court is as unsettling as it is captivating.
Among the hidden gems in the museum is Joaquín Sorolla’s "And They Say Fish Are Expensive!," an oddly gentle critique of harsh working conditions among fishermen in the 19th century.
The Prado Museum’s collection is so large, only 1/7th of it is actually on display. Some of its collections are temporarily loaned to other institutions, though most are showcased only in Spain.
Why visit Prado Museum?
Highlights
Plan your visit
Velázquez Entrance (Puerta de Velazquez)
The Velázquez entrance is the main entrance to the Prado Museum, located at the front of the building. It is open all days of the week, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. This entrance is used by visitors with pre-booked tickets and generally has a shorter wait time.
Goya Entrance (Puerta de Goya Alta)
One of two entrances by the monument of Francisco de Goya is located on the western side of the museum, this entrance is open to all visitors. It is open all days of the week, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. This entrance offers a ticket machine facility, which allows for a shorter wait time.
Goya Entrance (Puerta de Goya Baja)
The other side of the Goya entrance offers entry to all via ticket counters. This can often lead to longer wait times, extending up to 2.5 hours during peak times. It is open all days of the week, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Los Jerónimos Entrance (Puerta de los Jerónimos)
The rear entrance, los Jerónimos, offers entry to all visitors but has priority access for all guests with disabilities. Those with an advance booking will also be admitted without an excessive wait time. This entrance is open all days of the week, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Murillo Entrance (Puerta de Murillo)
The Murillo entrance is on the eastern side of the museum and offers entry to all visitors, but is the preferred entrance for groups. This can sometimes result in wait times of up to 2 hours, so it is best to book in advance and avoid the queue. This entrance is open all days of the week, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
- The Prado Museum is open Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
- On Sundays and holidays, the museum opens from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
- On January 6th, December 3rd, and December 24th, the museum opens from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
- The museum is closed on January 1st, May 1st, and December 25th.
- Weekdays at 10:00 AM is the best time to visit to avoid long queues and crowds.
- It takes 4 hours to tour the museum and can take up to 2 hours to enter the museum without a pre-booked ticket.
You may check in your coats and bags at the cloakroom for free before entering the museum. Recording equipment must also be checked at the cloakroom as it is prohibited to bring these inside.
You may place valuable items, such as cameras, and larger items, such as backpacks or luggage, in the lockers at the cloakroom.
Audioguides are available for purchase to all guests for a self-guided museum experience. Sign language guides with subtitles and guides with magnetic induction loop are also available for guests.
Restrooms at the museum include baby changing stations as well as adapted restrooms for wheelchair users.
Free WiFi is accessible at Cafe Prado inside the museum.
Wheelchairs are available for loan at the claokroom.
Prado Museum offers a variety of accessible options for wheelchair users, including ramps, platforms, accessible lifts, and adapted restrooms. Additionally, the Puerta de Jerónimos entrance offers preferential access for guests using a wheelchair. Parking spaces and vehicle access are also available upon prior request..
The museum offers preferential access for guests with baby strollers via the Puerta de los Jerónimos entrance. Baby strollers are also available on loan at the cloakroom for free.
All service animals are allowed at the museum.