THE BEST MUSEUMS IN THE WORLD
It turns out that Madrid is home to three of the most important museums in the world that make up the so-called “Art Triangle”. In this post, we are going to talk about them and leave you all the practical information * to visit them.
* Some timetables may change depending on some holidays and certain exhibitions. In addition, there are promotions and discounts that we have not mentioned. Therefore, we recommend you visit their websites to find the exhibitions that are at the moment and to buy the ticket online.
MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO
Address: Paseo del Prado
Schedule: Mon-Sat 10:00 – 20:00; Sun and holidays 10:00 – 19:00
Price: from € 0 to € 24. Admission is free for the last two hours every day and there is a 50% discount on the exhibitions.
Telephone: 913 302 800
Website: https://www.museodelprado.es/
El Museo del Prado opened its doors on November 9, 1819, which means that next year they will celebrate their bicentennial! Since then, you can find extensive collections of painters such as Velázquez, El Greco, Goya, Tiziano, Rubens, and Bosch, among others. In addition, it offers many different exhibitions and audio guides are also available.
What characterizes this museum is that it’s not an encyclopedic museum that has works from practically all schools and styles. It is a distinguished collection that has its origins in the love of the art that the Kings of Spain had for several centuries. It turns out that, in the first instance, the building was created to become the house of the Cabinet of Natural History. However, centuries later, Fernando VII decided to use the space as a warehouse for his paintings in an attempt to modernize the Royal Palace. Thanks to his wife, Isabel de Braganza, that storeroom turned into what we now know as Museo del Prado. Thank you, Isabel!
MUSEO NACIONAL THYSSEN.BORNEMISZA
Address: Paseo del Prado 8
Schedule: Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00; Sun and holidays 12:00 – 16:00
Price: General admission € 12. Discounted price €8
Telephone: 917 911 370
Website: https://www.museothyssen.org/
The Thyssen was inaugurated on October 8, 1992, being the last museum to be part of the “Art Triangle”. It is a gallery of ancient and modern artists, from the gothic Jan Van Eyck to the figurative painting of Lucian Freud. All the paintings belonged to the Thyssen-Bornemisza family, a private collection gathered over seven decades. Later, the collection was acquired by the Spanish Government. This museum brought many pictures of foreign painters which you couldn’t find in the Spanish museums. Finally, it should be noted that the building is the Villahermosa Palace, the former mansion of the Dukes of Villahermosa. This museum also offers various exhibitions and has audio guides.
MUSEO NACIONAL CENTRO DE ARTE REINA SOFÍA
Address: Calle de Santa Isabel 52
Schedule: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri and Sat 10:00 – 21:00; Sunday 10:00 – 19:00 and Tue closed.
Price: € 10 at the ticket office and € 8 online. In addition, there are discounts and free tickets.
Telephone: 917 741 000
Website: http://www.museoreinasofia.es/
El Museo Reina Sofia began its activity on September 10, 1992, the same year as the Thyssen Museum. The building -the former General Hospital of Madrid-, was initially designed by José de Hermosilla and continued by Francesco Sabatini. It is a museum that houses a large collection of Spanish artists of the twentieth century, especially Picasso, Dalí and Miró. Also, it includes paintings by other artists, both national and international, belonging to movements like Surrealism, Cubism, and Expressionism. It also shows different exhibitions and offers audio guides.
If you are interested in visiting the three museums -outside of the free schedules- we recommend you take the “Paseo del Arte” pass. This card has a price of € 26.90, which is a 20% discount on normal rates. In addition, it includes some temporary exhibitions. You can buy it in any of the websites of the museums or in its ticket offices.
A trip to the artistic past that you can’t miss!