Three museums, three timetables
The Museo Nacional del Prado, the Museo Reina Sofía and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza are Madrid's best-known art museums. The Prado holds the older Spanish and European masters. The Reina Sofía has modern and contemporary art and Picasso's Guernica. The Thyssen covers European painting from the Middle Ages to the modern era.
They do not share a timetable. One is closed on Tuesdays, one gives away its collection on Monday afternoons, and each has its own free hours. This independent guide sets the key figures side by side so that you can plan a week without a clash. Prices are for 2026 and can change.
The museums compared
Adult prices and regular hours in 2026.
| Prado | Reina Sofía | Thyssen-Bornemisza | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General ticket | €15 | €12 | €14 |
| Reduced | €7.50 | 50 percent off, box office only | €10 |
| Audioguide | €5 extra | €6 alone, or €18 with the ticket | €5.50 extra |
| Closing day | None | Tuesday | None |
| Monday | 10:00–20:00 | 10:00–21:00 | 12:00–16:00 |
| Sunday | 10:00–19:00 | 10:00–14:30 | 10:00–19:00 |
| Free hours | Monday to Saturday 18:00–20:00, Sunday 17:00–19:00 | 19:00–21:00, Sunday 12:30–14:30 | Monday 12:00–16:00; Saturday 21:00–23:00 for special exhibitions |
| Closed on | 1 January, 1 May, 25 December | 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 15 May, 9 November, 24, 25 and 31 December | 1 January, 1 May, 25 December |
Free hours are subject to capacity at all three museums, and the Reina Sofía requires a free ticket that you reserve online or collect. The Prado free hours cover the collection and do not guarantee entry when the museum is full. Details for each house are on the pages for the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen.
Our picks: Madrid's art museums
A pass for three museums, a Prado tour and a Reina Sofía 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.
Reina Sofía guided tour in a small group
Museum entry and a professional guide are included, with up to six people in the group. Tips and hotel transfer are not.
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 →
Art Walk Pass for three museums
The permanent collections of the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen are included, plus some special exhibitions at the first two. The museums' own Paseo del Arte pass costs €32.80 and is cheaper than this listing.
Check availability →Madrid art and city tours
Guided visits to the Prado and other Madrid sights, with live prices and availability.
Paseo del Arte pass: what you get
One visit to each museum, within a year.
Price and validity
The Abono Paseo del Arte costs €32.80. It gives one entry to each of the three museums. The year starts on the day you buy it, not on your first visit, and you do not have to visit all three on the same day.
The saving
Regular tickets add up to €41, so the pass saves €8.20 or 20 percent. An agreement of June 2026, published in September 2026, confirms the one-entry rule, the year from purchase and a price set at the general rates minus 20 percent.
When it does not pay
The saving only exists if you would pay the full price at all three. If you qualify for free or reduced entry at one or more museums, the pass will not save you money.
Time slots and exhibitions
Where a museum limits entry by time, the pass holder has to get a time pass at that museum's ticket desk. Each museum decides whether special exhibitions are included. The Thyssen's own shop says the pass covers permanent collections only. Do not expect to skip every queue.
The Thyssen on Mondays
The Thyssen lists the pass as excluded on Mondays, although the collection is free then. Plan the Thyssen for another day.
How to fit the week together
The timetables decide the order.
Tuesday
The Reina Sofía is closed. Use the day for the Prado, or for the Thyssen with the pass.
Monday
The Prado and the Reina Sofía both have normal hours, but the Thyssen opens only from 12:00 to 16:00 and does not take the pass that day.
Sunday
The Reina Sofía closes at 14:30, while the Prado and the Thyssen stay open until 19:00. Put the Reina Sofía first in the day.
Saturday evening
The Thyssen is open until 23:00 with limited areas. The Reina Sofía closes at 21:00, and the Prado at 20:00.
Holidays
All three close on 1 May, so skip that date for art. The Prado also shortens its day on 6 January, 24 December and 31 December.
One museum per day keeps the timetables simple. Both the Prado and the Reina Sofía list Estación del Arte (line 1) as a metro stop. The Prado also lists Banco de España (line 2), and the Reina Sofía lists Lavapiés (line 3). The Prado visit plan helps you decide how much of a day the Prado needs.
Bags and photos at each museum
The rules differ from house to house.
| Photos | Bags | |
|---|---|---|
| Prado | Not allowed in the rooms; allowed in the Jerónimos foyer, Sala de las Musas and cloister | From 40 cm to the free cloakroom, which has limited space |
| Reina Sofía | Allowed without flash, tripod or selfie stick unless a sign says otherwise | Handbags up to 40 × 30 × 10 cm; no suitcases |
| Thyssen | Allowed without flash; follow signs | – |
Go deeper on each museum
Pages for each house and the Prado's best-known work.
Prado Museum guide
Tickets, free hours and masterpieces.
Reina Sofía Museum
Guernica, tickets and free hours.
Thyssen-Bornemisza
Collection, prices and Saturday night opening.
Prado tickets
Prices, reductions and time slots for 2026.
15 famous paintings
Fifteen Prado works with catalogue rooms.
Madrid art museums: frequently asked questions
What is the Paseo del Arte pass?
It is a combined ticket for the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. It costs €32.80 and gives one visit to each museum within one year of purchase.
Is the Paseo del Arte pass worth it?
Regular tickets cost €41 in total, so the pass saves €8.20 if you pay full price at all three. If you qualify for free or reduced entry, it does not save money.
Do I have to visit all three museums on the same day?
No. The pass is valid for one year from the day you buy it, and you can use the visits on different days.
Which Madrid museum is closed on Tuesdays?
The Reina Sofía. The Prado and the Thyssen are open on Tuesdays.
Which museum is best for a first visit?
That depends on your interest. The Prado is the choice for classic masters such as Velázquez and Goya, the Reina Sofía for Guernica and modern art, and the Thyssen for a wide run of European painting.
Can I skip the queue with the pass?
Not in every case. Where entry is limited by time, you collect a time pass at the museum's ticket desk, so do not count on a straight entry.