Museums in Madrid
Six museums chosen by the day, not by fame
- Big three
- Prado €15, Reina Sofía €12, Thyssen €14
- Three smaller
- Cerralbo €3
- Joint ticket
- Paseo del Arte, €32.80
Madrid's museums are chosen by the day of the week, and fame comes second. Four of the six close on a Monday or a Tuesday, one of the big three opens for only four hours on Monday, and each has its own free slot with its own condition attached. Read the table first, then the days, and the six museums sort themselves into a plan that never meets a locked door.
Which day, which museum
Start with the doors that are shut. The Cerralbo, the Archaeological Museum and the Lázaro Galdiano close on Monday, the Reina Sofía closes on Tuesday, and the Prado and the Thyssen are the two big museums that open on a Monday. On Monday the Thyssen runs a short day and the Prado its normal one, so Monday belongs to those two.
On Tuesday the logic repeats, with the Reina Sofía out and the Thyssen back to its full hours, so Tuesday is a Prado and Thyssen day as well. From Wednesday to Saturday the Reina Sofía takes the evening, because its free slot runs then, and it needs a booked ticket. The three smaller museums fill the days around them.
Last entry is between half an hour and an hour before closing, depending on the museum. The free slots of the first three come with the conditions described on their own pages.
The big three, and how to split them
Two days are enough for the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen, and the split that works is one painter-heavy day and one lighter one. The Prado gets a day to itself or shares it only with the Thyssen. The Reina Sofía deserves a separate visit built around one painting, Guernica, and not a rush through every floor.
Choose the Thyssen when you have time for only one museum and still want the centuries in a single building, since it runs from the oldest paintings down to the twentieth century. Its free Monday slot is a quiet bonus, not a plan. The Prado is the museum for people who want depth in a few painters. The Reina Sofía is the museum for people who came for the modern age and can name what they want.
Official ticket
- Main work
- Guernica
Through a partner
- options with a guide or audio guide
- usually costs more than the official ticket
The Paseo del Arte pass: when it pays off
The Paseo del Arte pass covers the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen for €32.80, against €15 + €12 + €14 bought separately. The pass is cheaper only if all three are paid for, and it saves nothing the moment you use a free slot for any of them. Anyone who plans the Prado in the evening slot and the Reina Sofía on its free hour should buy single tickets or none.
Three smaller museums worth a morning
The Cerralbo is a nineteenth-century palace kept as if its owner still lived there, with a mirror hall and an imperial staircase, and it takes 60 to 75 minutes. It costs €3, and Thursday evening and Sunday are free. The National Archaeological Museum, on Calle de Serrano 13, holds the Lady of Elche, a replica of the Altamira cave and rooms of Egypt and Greece, with metro Serrano on line 4 or Retiro on line 2 as the nearest stops.
The Lázaro Galdiano is a collector's palace in Salamanca, with works by Goya and El Greco, enamels, goldwork and ivory. It costs €8, and it suits a slow morning.
Free slots without mistakes
Free in Madrid never means the same thing twice. Each museum sets its own hours, its own condition and its own document, so a plan that treats them as one rule collects the mistakes.
- At the Prado the free slot covers the permanent collection only.
- At the Reina Sofía you still need a ticket, booked online or at the desk.
- At the Thyssen the Monday slot needs no ticket, and Saturday night is free only for temporary exhibitions.
- The three smaller museums each keep their own free hours, listed in the table.
Where to next
Nomadinho scores out of 100, the same ones behind “Where to go”.
If you like Madrid
Three places with the closest scores, from any country.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Which museum if you only have one morning?
The Prado, if you want a few painters in depth, or the Thyssen, if you want the centuries in one building. On Tuesday the Reina Sofía is closed, so those two are the choice.
Which museum is open on Monday?
The Prado is open all day and the Thyssen opens for a short day, with its free slot as described in the table. The Reina Sofía opens too, while the Cerralbo, the Archaeological Museum and the Lázaro Galdiano are closed.
Are there museums that cost under five euros?
Yes, the Cerralbo at €3 and the National Archaeological Museum at €3. Both are also free at set hours, listed in the table.
Ready for Madrid?
Front row for the next trip
Leave your email and we'll let you know when a new destination or story goes up.