The Prado Museum at a glance
The Museo Nacional del Prado stands at Paseo del Prado s/n, 28014 Madrid. It opened to the public on 19 November 1819. The main building was designed by Juan de Villanueva and was first meant to house a natural history cabinet. Today it is one of the best known painting collections in Europe, with Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Titian and Bosch among the names visitors look for.
This is an independent guide, not the website of the museum and not run by a tour company. It collects the practical points: what a ticket costs, when entry is free, how guided visits work, which paintings are worth your time and how to reach the building. All prices are the ones listed in 2026 and they can change.
What this guide covers
One museum in depth, two more nearby.
The pages on this site follow the questions most visitors ask. How much is a ticket and who gets in free? When does the museum open and close, and what happens on holidays? Is a guided tour worth the extra money? Where do you find Las Meninas, the Garden of Earthly Delights or Goya's Black Paintings? How much time should you plan? For art lovers in Madrid there are also pages on the Reina Sofía, home of Guernica, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, plus a comparison of all three museums and the combined pass.
Our picks: Prado tickets and tours
A ticket without a guide, a guided visit with entry included and a small-group masterpieces tour.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Prado masterpieces tour in a small group
Museum entry and a guide are included, with up to seven people in the group. No exclusions are listed.
Check availability →Prado guided tour with priority entry
Museum entry without the ticket queue and a professional guide are included. Tips are not.
Check availability →
Prado entry ticket without a guide
Museum entry only, with no guide, food or drinks. The museum's own ticket costs €15 and is cheaper than this listing.
Check availability →Prado tours and tickets
Skip-the-line tickets, guided tours and small-group visits to the Prado and the neighbouring museums, with live prices and availability.
Explore the guide
Every page on this site, in the order most visits are planned.
Prado tickets and prices
Standard, reduced and free admission, time slots and the rules that come with a ticket.
Opening hours and free entry
Daily times, closing days, last entry and the free evening hours.
Guided tours
The museum's own tour, outside guides, group rules and the audio guide.
Fifteen famous paintings
Fifteen works with artist, date and room number from the museum's records.
Las Meninas
Where it hangs, how large it is and what to look for.
The Garden of Earthly Delights
The triptych, its size and how it came to the Prado.
Goya's Black Paintings
Fourteen scenes from the Quinta del Sordo and how they were moved to canvas.
The Third of May 1808
A painting of 1814 about events of 1808, and its companion piece.
Map, route and time
One-hour and two-hour routes, entrances, bags and getting there.
Reina Sofía and Guernica
Tickets, hours, free times and the room where Guernica hangs.
Thyssen-Bornemisza
Prices, seasonal hours and the free Monday session.
Madrid's art museums
Three museums side by side, and whether the combined pass pays off.
Getting there
The museum lies on the Paseo del Prado, in the centre of Madrid.
Metro
Line 1 stops at Estación del Arte, about 800 m from the museum. Line 2 stops at Banco de España, about 650 m away. At 4 km/h that is roughly 10 to 12 minutes on foot. For October 2026 a single Metro fare of €1.50 in zone A was announced, so check the machine.
Bus
The museum lists lines 001, 10, 14, 27, 34, 37, 45 and C03. A nearby stop is Museo del Prado, Jardín Botánico. A standard single EMT ticket costs €1.50.
From the airport
Take Metro line 8 and change to line 4 or line 2, or take the airport bus 203. There is no direct Metro from the airport to the museum.
By train
Atocha station is about 1 km away, Recoletos about 1.1 km. Atocha is not the name of the nearest Metro stop, so follow the signs for Estación del Arte.
Entrances and route →Good to know before you go
Four points where older guides and forums are often out of date.
Groups are limited to 20
Regular groups at the Prado were cut from 30 to 20 people. The museum announced a transition period for bookings already made until 1 June 2026. Educational groups are handled separately.
Tour and group rules →The combined pass costs €32.80
The Paseo del Arte pass covers one visit each to the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen. It is valid for 1 year from the day you buy it, not from your first visit. It only pays off if you pay full price at all three.
Pass compared →Photo rules differ
Photography is not allowed in the Prado's galleries. Exceptions are the Jerónimos foyer, the Sala de las Musas and the cloister. The Reina Sofía allows photos without flash, tripod or selfie stick unless a sign says otherwise.
Bags and rules →Free hours differ by museum
The Prado is free in the last two hours of the day, subject to capacity. The Reina Sofía has its own evening window and asks for a ticket even then. The Thyssen opens its collection free on Monday from 12:00 to 16:00.
Prado free hours →Prado Museum: frequently asked questions
Is this the official Prado website?
No. This is an independent visitor guide with no link to the museum, the Reina Sofía, the Thyssen, the Spanish Ministry of Culture or any tour operator. For the binding timetable and ticket terms, check the museum's own channels before you travel.
How much is a ticket for the Prado?
General admission is €15 in 2026. It covers the permanent collection and the special exhibitions running at the same time. People over 65, holders of a recognised youth pass and large-family card holders pay €7.50. See the tickets page for who enters free.
When is the Prado free?
Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 20:00, and on Sundays and public holidays from 17:00 to 19:00. Entry depends on capacity and is not guaranteed when it is busy. The hours page has the details and the open questions.
Where is Guernica?
Not in the Prado. Picasso's Guernica hangs in the Reina Sofía, in room 205.10 according to the museum's current record. The Reina Sofía page explains tickets and free hours.
Can I take photos in the Prado?
No, not in the collection and exhibition galleries. You may take photos in the Jerónimos foyer, the Sala de las Musas and the cloister.
How long should I plan for a visit?
The museum publishes a one-hour and a two-hour route. A two-hour visit covers the best-known works, and more time helps if you add a special exhibition. The route page groups the main works by room.