Museo del Prado

Background

The Museo del Prado stands on the Paseo del Prado in central Madrid, Spain. The collection is based on the former Spanish royal collection, covers European art from the 12th century to the early 20th century, and is described as the finest collection of Spanish art. Velázquez's Las Meninas, Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights, Goya's The Third of May 1808 and The Naked Maja, Van der Weyden's Descent from the Cross, El Greco's Nobleman with His Hand on His Chest and Titian's Equestrian Portrait of Charles V are all signature works; Goya is the artist with the most works in the museum. Together with the neighboring Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofía Museum, it forms the "Golden Triangle of Art". The building was designed by Juan de Villanueva in 1785 at the order of Charles III, originally intended as a natural history cabinet. Ferdinand VII later designated it the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures, and it opened on 19 November 1819. In 1868 the museum was nationalized and took its present name. The Paseo del Prado area was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2021.

Local customs

Follow the main line of the Spanish school: first Velázquez, Goya and El Greco, then European masters such as Rubens and Titian. Note the composition of Las Meninas and the mirror reflection within it. If your stamina is limited, focus first on the signature rooms of one floor and leave the rest for another visit.

Travel tips

• This popular museum is best booked in advance on the official website. Seeing the whole museum in detail takes most of a day
• for a half-day visit, draw up a must-see list first. There are rest and dining areas inside for a break. Check ticket prices and opening hours on the official website. The museum is in central Madrid: take the metro to Banco de España or Estación del Arte station and walk from there
• many bus routes stop along the Paseo del Prado.
• An indoor visit suits any time of year and is especially good in summer or on rainy days. Holidays and summer bring more visitors, so arrive early or choose a weekday.