Museo del Prado
Major national art gallery in Madrid, with the largest collection of works by Velázquez and Goya, plus works by El Greco, Bosch, Titian and Rubens.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Prado building was designed by Juan de Villanueva and approved by Charles III in 1786 to house the Royal Cabinet of Natural History. The Napoleonic invasion left it in ruins, and it was during the restoration driven by Ferdinand VII and, above all, by his wife Isabella of Braganza that it was decided to turn it into a museum. On 19 November 1819 the Royal Museum of Paintings opened with 311 paintings, all from the Spanish school.
In 1872 the Museum of the Trinity closed and its holdings passed to the Prado. A decree of 1920 fixed the current name, Museo Nacional del Prado. During the Civil War, between 1936 and 1939, the most important works were evacuated to eastern Spain and then to Geneva, where an exhibition in 1939 drew some 400,000 visitors; the works returned to Madrid after almost three years. In 1971 the collections of the Museo de Arte Moderno were incorporated.
Between 1995 and 2001 the roof of Villanueva’s building was rebuilt, and in October 2007 Rafael Moneo’s extension was inaugurated. It houses temporary exhibitions, restoration workshops, an auditorium, a café and a restaurant. The Casón del Buen Retiro, next to the Retiro park, is home to the library and reading room for researchers. In 2021 the Paseo del Prado and the Buen Retiro were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The collection comes from the Spanish royal collections and brings together some 8,600 paintings and more than 700 sculptures. Its strengths are Spanish, Italian and Flemish painting, with an exceptional representation of Velázquez, El Greco and Goya, as well as Titian, Rubens and Bosch.
Highlights
- “Las Meninas” by Velázquez
- “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Bosch
- “The Third of May 1808” by Goya
- “The Descent from the Cross” by Rogier van der Weyden
- “The Holy Trinity” by El Greco
- “The Annunciation” by Fra Angelico
Permanent exhibition
- Colección permanente – Around 8,600 paintings and more than 700 sculptures, with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Bosch, Titian and Rubens.
- Founded
- 1819
- Operated by
- Ministerio de Cultura (organismo público)
- Director
- Miguel Falomir Faus
- Visitors per year
- approx. 3,513,402 (2025)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €15 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7.50 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with a disability of 33% or more. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree admission for students aged 18 to 25 and for older students of art degree and postgraduate courses. |
| Families | freeFree admission for large families (one adult with three children, or with two if one child has a disability). |
| General admission with the Prado Guide | €24 |
| Admission with audio guide | –Supplement of €5 on top of admission. |
| Guided tour of the collection | –Supplement of €10 per person on top of admission; purchased at the ticket office. |
| Private visit before opening (9:00–10:00) | €50Per person, for groups of at least 12 people with their own guide. |
| Paseo del Arte pass (Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen) | €32.80Valid for one year. |
Free admission: Free admission Monday to Saturday 18:00–20:00 and Sundays and public holidays 17:00–19:00.
Free admission is also available to unemployed people, active teachers, official guides, journalists and staff of state museums.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Facilities accessible to wheelchair users, with sign language services and an induction loop.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | free · Free admission for large families (one adult with three children, or with two if one child has a disability). |
- Baby changing facilities
Baby changing facilities and a breastfeeding room are available.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Estación del Arte
Metro: Estación del Arte (line 1), Atocha (line 1) and Banco de España (line 2). Cercanías: Atocha (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C7 and C10). EMT buses: 001, 6, 10, 14, 19, 26, 27, 32, 34, 37, 45, C03 and E1, plus several night routes.
BiciMAD bike stations are nearby, for example at Calle de Felipe IV, 5.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Lockers
- Wi-Fi
Café Prado and Salón de Té in the Ionic Gallery; Prado Shop in the Jerónimos lobby and Art Bookshop in the Villanueva building. The Madrid tourism portal lists free Wi-Fi.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | Recommended itineraries of 1, 2 and 3 hours are available. Guided tours of the collection are sold at the ticket office (in Spanish at 10:30, 11:00, 12:30, 13:00, 15:15 and 17:00; in English at 11:00 and 13:00). |
