Prado National Museum
Prado National Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
The Prado has one of the largest art collections in the world, and is best known for its diverse assortment of works by Velasquez, Goya and El Greco.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Admission tickets
from $28.03
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  • nick9874
    Florida200 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A vast collection
    A little overwhelming, because so large so plan accordingly. It is easy to lose a family member as well as there are lots of rooms and paths to take. We did not have a firm grasp of spanish history as this was one of our first stops in spain but we still appreciated what we saw. A tour would have been a good thought but we were unsure of arrival time due to plane flights.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 25, 2023
  • suite1934
    Waunakee, Wisconsin80 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Art Triangle of Madrid
    Breathtaking. We entered through a very small, unassuming entrance to discover wide and open spaces to display large paintings and sculpture. Plan to spend a minimum of three hours here and you will barely touch the surface. I made a plan to visit the painters I had read about in college but there is so much more. You are not allowed to take pictures inside. Check out utube or other sites as they will give you an idea of what to expect. Free after a certain hour of the day. We were in Madrid for a short period of time so tickets purchased directly from the Prado website.
    Visited January 2023
    Written March 25, 2023
  • Emily
    London, United Kingdom395 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing & Extensive Collection
    A vast collection of art, could easily spend all day here. Some amazing pieces with some detail in English & Spanish. Pieces maintained well and museum was very clean, staff were mostly friendly & helpful. Worth a visit.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 25, 2023
  • Toby
    Paignton, United Kingdom37 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lost track of time, in a good way
    My girlfriend and I went in expecting to take 3-4 hours, which was the recommended time, and accidentally spent 6 hours here without realising. It may have change the entire plan for the rest of the day but it was the main reason we came to Madrid. We like looking at art even more after visiting here, and we really enojyed some of the art on display. Would recommend as a top sight in Madrid.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 28, 2023
  • lozbad
    Bristol, United Kingdom47 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great gallery - be prepared to queue
    An excellent gallery, with a great collection of artwork. I spent 4 hours here and could have spent longer. However I've marked it down because of the lack of direction getting into the museum. There was no clear signage about where you should go, that you needed to get your tickets from the ticket office before going in, just a lot of different queues with no identification for any of them. Fortunately I chose the right one and did get in reasonably quickly. The only person that was loitering outside of the queues turned out to be a tour guide (from the museum I believe) who was incredibly rude when asked any questions. If you don't want to answer questions I suggest you don't stand in a place where people are going to be asking them with an official ID on! Could have done with few museum staff wandering around helping people out.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 28, 2023
  • sheepygold
    5,598 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mind blowing. To avoid the huge ticket queues book a timeslot in advance
    We have been here a few times before so knew what to expect other than the queue to buy tickets which was so long we postponed our visit to the next day and booked a time slot. Once in we made a plan of attack as to what we really wanted to see. For me the highlights were El Bosco, El Greco, Sorolla, Titian and do not miss the Dauphin treasury on the second floor which not many people see. We were here for about 7 hours and didn't see anything like the whole gallery.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 28, 2023
  • Laura M
    Ottawa, Canada3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Magnificent tour of Prado with Jaime Sanchez!
    Prado tour with Jaime Sanchez was exceptional — curated works through the centuries. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the historical, cultural and artistic context of the paintings. We learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Gracias Jamie. Thank you Laura and Michael
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 31, 2023
  • M G
    Arlington, Virginia95 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Crowded but Still Awesome Museum
    This is probably one of the best museums of European art in the world. I have little to add about the depth and magnificence of the collection. I’ll just offer some advice on visiting: Buy a ticket beforehand via the website. Ticket prices are on par for large museums in other European capitals. This allows for a specific entry time. I went to the entrance on the eastern side of the museum, off Calle de la Academia, where there was less of a line. Once inside you have to go through security, and there’s a coat check. That entrance also has a café and a large gift shop. After that, grab a map and feel free to wander about. The museum is crowded. I would recommend having a list of artworks you want to see and then just having patience to get through the masses of people who have also come to admire them. Also, just wander around. The museum is huge, and you’ll find something amazing in just about every room. Photography not allowed. The guards are quite aggressive about enforcing this. Highly recommended for art lovers. One can easily spend an entire day here.
    Visited December 2022
    Written March 31, 2023
  • Nonny16
    Brisbane, Australia213 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Prado Museum must see for Ruben fans
    Best to order your tickets online so you can at least skip one line! I got there for 10am and had about 50 people lined up in front of me. Magnificent selection of art works and sculptures - for the big fans you will spend hours in here. Large coffee shop also with outdoor seating which was nice. Plenty of toilet options, ramps and elevators.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written March 31, 2023
  • RamblinRoes
    Media, Pennsylvania220 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Large, crowded and confusing but still excellent
    This museum is deceptively large so be prepared to spend some real time here. Book your tickets well in advance and bring your passport. They make a big deal of requiring your passport for entry but no one ever checked ours - still I wouldn't risk not having it. The configuration of rooms on both main floors can be confusing but try to follow some sort of pattern and don't miss any of the rooms. The audio guide is a must and is very well done. It does get incredibly crowded and there were at least 10 school groups on the day we were there so pack your patience and just focus on what you'd like to see. I have to say, it was nice to see many of the school children were quite young and seemed very engaged in their visits so well done to the Spanish for getting their children vested in art at such a young age. There's a decent cafe on the main floor (smaller one on the second) if you need a break between sections - and you will! It's one of the most impressive museums in the world so don't cut your visit short and plan plenty of time to enjoy.
    Visited March 2023
    Written April 3, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Popular mentions

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thetravelorganizer
Tega Cay, SC602 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
After the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, The Prado is probably my favorite art museum as it contains some excellent examples of Renaissance giants while still managing to focus on noteworthy national artists like Goya, Velazquez, Dali, etc. Seniors can purchase half-price vouchers online and redeem them for entry at windows 1 and 2 at the Goya entrance (north end). It is well worth one’s time to spend some time on The Prado’s website to identify which works one especially wants to see and then map out a route to them on the museum floor plan which can also be downloaded. Entry is free the last 2 hours every day but expect entry lines to be long and galleries crowded during peak travel times; we found it worthwhile to purchase discounted senior tickets and visit over the lunch hour (1 to 3pm) as crowds were light.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kelleygirl2
Sarasota, FL6,483 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
On our way to the Prado we saw vans parked near the road with men working to scrub graffiti off the walls; no modern “art” here. The Prado dates back almost 200 years and houses the collections of works favored by kings from Spain’s 16th and 17th centuries, especially those of El Greco (who worked hard for approval from King Phillip II), Titian, Rubens, Goya, and Velasquez. The museum does not feature modern works like those of Picasso, Dali and Miro.

Each room of the Prado had a very specific collection of works. The kings had controlled the organization of paintings by colors and then by the numbers in the lower left corner of the painting as they still are represented today. Our guide Ama gave us lots of historic details that made viewing and understanding the paintings very helpful. She reminded us that the art works of the period were designed for religious reasons because of the strong Catholic influence. We learned that El Greco’s wife died having her baby. El Greco (the Greek) was so distraught over this that he painted his wife’s likeness as the Virgin Mary in his painting The Adoration of the Shepherds, his most famous work. King Phillip never appreciated El Greco and so he stayed in Toledo where he was better received.
The museum does, however feature long lines, so yes be sure to buy advance tickets or you will waste a lot of time in line as it is always crowded.
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

johnxboy
Hilton Head, SC88 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019 • Couples
Incredible but get there early. Extremely crowded towards Noon and throughout the afternoon. If you are there when it opens charge towards the upstairs Dutch collection and you will avoid the crowd that heads immediately towards the Spanish collections on the main floor, Eg., Goya. Eventually you must meet the crowd but the initial solitude is pleasant while it lasts. Also, definitely consider buying tickets in advance online, and you totally avoid the huge crowds at the “same day sale” ticket counter. Plenty of bathrooms and lite luncheon cafes are available.
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Graham Y
Huddersfield, UK32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
We visited the Prado and decided to use the services of Ana ,a local guide who stopped us as we passed through security and for 15 euros each showed us the most important pictures. She was very knowledgeable about the paintings and showed and explained aspects we would have never seen or understood without her expert guidance. Just finding the room where the painting you know you want to see is difficult enough.
It is warm in the museum even in March when we visited so leave your coats in the lockers in the entrance area before going through security
Written March 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jip79
Doha, Qatar560 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
After calling the museum to check if accompanying students can come in for free, we booked the online tickets a day ahead so that we didn't have to wait in line. At the entrance, the museum staff made us go back to the ticket counter for the free student tickets. Even with the student ID having photo and date of birth, they still insisted on showing the holder's passport or ID.

When we tried to scan the QR code of the museum floor map at the information counter, only the Spanish version was available. We asked if an English version was available, and the lady behind the counter rudely answered that Spanish was an international language and we should just figure it out from that map. We asked another staff later, and he told us that the English version is on the museum's website. The website also failed to point out that currently most parts of the museum are closed, and so we were not able to see some of the important works from the permanent collection. The museum staff is probably the rudest and most unhelpful, following museum visitors around and prohibiting photo-taking, which is contrary to the practice at other places like the Louvre or Rijksmuseum that allows non-flash photography. Worst of all, since we were not allowed to take photos, they didn't have enough postcards of the important works at the museum shop. The museum should either let visitors take photos, or add the selection of its postcards!
Written July 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

fly4fun2
London166 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This is a fantastic gallery, but make sure you know the style of the art on display and the themes as they are specific. I could see many halves of couples that looked bored while the partner was in rapture.

There are many masterpieces here. So many we were there for 7 hours including breaks. Towards they end they tend to blur. There are a lot of religious type paintings (not surprising given the history) and ones of patrons (ie rich families paying the artists way!). If you've not looked at much art before it could be overwhelming, but thankfully the leaflet highlights the major works (around 50!) and you can focus on hunting those down.

We went during a non-school or other holiday period weekday and it was busy. We bought tickets the day before directly from the gallery as we were passing by and saved a little bit of money compared to buying from an agency or kiosk. I think it was €15. If you are a senior, bring id with your DOB on it to get a decent discount.

The cafe was nice, with a variety of food but get there early to avoid the lunch rush. Staff cleared the tables but at busy times you may find them rushed off their feet trying to clear tables.

There are a number of entrances and cloakrooms but remember which one you used (back packs and larger must be checked in) . We had a bit of a wait to collect our stuff as a large tour group had just come in.
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alexandra A
Madrid, Spain230 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
The Prado Museum houses the most comprehensive collection of Spanish painting in the world.
The Prado's walls are lined with masterpieces from the Spanish, Italian and Flemish schools, including Velázquez’ Las Meninas and Goya’s Third of May, 1808. Its collection comprises 8,600 paintings and over 700 sculptures, so I recommend deciding what you want to see before stepping into the museum. If you are short on time, the Prado's website suggests three itineraries, lasting 1, 2 and 3 hours and covering the museum's most important masterpieces, which for me came really handy. Paintings by Rubens, the Bruegel Family, Jordaens and Teniers. The museum also boasts works by some of the great French, German and Dutch painters including Dürer, Claude Lorrain, Rembrandt and Watteau.
THE BEST PART:
Free entrance monday to saturday from 18.00 to 20.00 p.m.
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LiverpoolPeteG
Liverpool, UK131 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Solo
A famous and historic art museum with many of the world’s most famous pieces. It has a good customer focus, a really nice restaurant/coffee bar with also an outside terrace, and great toilets. The entrance prices are very reasonable for such an iconic place (especially for older people) and the cafe prices are mid-range for a tourist centre.

I visited in a pandemic and the rules were strictly enforced, in a professional and helpful way, ensuring visitors had their safety prioritised.

It was a huge bonus to find the gallery very uncrowded and to see these great paintings easily from any distance or angle. I visited twice, the second time I signed up for a guided tour with ‘The Best of Madrid’ and I learnt a lot from a friendly, warm and very knowledgeable guide.
Written September 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JDSoui
Tampa, FL6,494 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
The lines are long to get in, but worth the wait. The museum has Spanish, Italian, French, German and other renderings. The Goya gallery was intriguing and reading the motives behind each sketch.

Would suggest purchasing the expedited pass before arriving to assist in skipping the entry into the museum if the goal is arrive first thing.

Note: the museum did not allow any pictures inside galleries in Jan-2020.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Richard P
Savannah, GA11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Second only to the Louvre in my humble opinion. This will take you at least four hours if you move quickly or have specific masters that you want to see. If you try and see it all, it's easily a full day. The masterpieces are sprinkled throughout the museum so as to disperse the crowds. No picture taking of course but I suspect you could get away with a few here and there. This museum is easily maneuverable. Grab a brochure upon entering. They are available at no additional charge and are available in the language you prefer. These brochures are well done and guide you to the halls containing specific artists. They also provide the room location of each masterpiece. Having tickets pre-purchased is a must to avoid the lines. I don't think a tour is necessary since art is in the eye of the beholder as they say. Enjoy!
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Prado National Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Prado National Museum

Prado National Museum admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $28.11, while a popular guided tour starts around $3.33 per person.



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