Prado or Reina Sofía: Which Madrid Museum to Visit, With Hours and Free Times

The short answer. Go to the Prado if you want Velázquez, Goya and European old masters, and it’s the one most guides put first if you only have time for one. Go to the Reina Sofía if you want Picasso’s Guernica and 20th-century art. If you have a full day, do both. They’re about a 10 to 15 minute walk apart along the Paseo del Prado.

Roam Madrid read 8 guides on this, all in English. They agree on the split. All 8 give the Prado the classical European and Spanish old masters and the Reina Sofía modern and contemporary art, and 7 name Guernica as the reason to go to the second. They differ on which to pick if you must choose. Two put the Prado first, and five say it depends on your taste. Hours, prices and closing days below come from the museums’ own pages and from esMadrid, not from those guides. They change, so check the links. The things to do in Madrid guide puts both in a three-day plan.

What the guides agree on

The Prado for classical art. Recommended by 8 of 8 guides read. Velázquez, Goya, El Greco and Bosch are the names that come up, with Spanish painting from the 12th to the 19th century.

The Reina Sofía for modern art. Recommended by 8 of 8 guides read. It covers 20th-century Spanish and international art, with Picasso, Dalí and Miró, and temporary exhibitions.

Guernica. Named by 7 of 8 guides read. It’s the main reason people go. One guide says seeing it in person is more powerful than any photograph, and another says photographing it isn’t allowed.

Las Meninas. Named by 6 of 8 guides read. Velázquez’s painting is the Prado’s headline work.

Do both if you have time. Suggested by 4 of 8 guides read. A full day works, with the Prado in the morning.

Which is faster. Named by 4 of 8 guides read. The Prado takes longer, with 2 to 3 hours for the highlights in four guides and more for a full visit. The Reina Sofía takes about 1.5 to 2 hours in two, and 2 to 2.5 in a third. One guide spent over four hours at the Prado and covered about an eighth of it, and says the Reina Sofía is much easier to do in a day.

Free evening hours. Named by 3 of 8 guides read. Both museums have them, and one guide warns of long queues for the Prado’s.

Booking ahead. Recommended by 3 of 8 guides read. The Prado especially.

Prado or Reina Sofía side by side

The Prado’s figures are from esMadrid’s Prado page, which says the ticket office opens at 9:45 and lists a reduced price of 7.50 euros. On 6 January and 24 and 31 December it closes at 14:00. The museum’s own site adds that the free slot covers the permanent collection and not temporary exhibitions.

The Reina Sofía’s figures are from its visit page: 12 euros for the collection and temporary exhibitions, with free entry for individuals who still need a ticket. It’s closed on Tuesdays, 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 15 May, 9 November and 24, 25 and 31 December, and the page notes that 15 May and 9 November may vary. It also lists free days on 18 April, 18 and 22 May, 12 October and 6 December. The main entrance is at Calle de Santa Isabel 52.

The third museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, is named by 3 guides. Its visit page lists a general ticket of 14 euros and free entry on Mondays. The Prado’s esMadrid page also lists a Paseo del Arte pass for the three museums at 32.80 euros.

Verdicts by type of visitor

First visit, one museum. The Prado, as the two guides that pick one say. One calls it the essential Madrid museum.

Modern art, or you want to see Guernica. The Reina Sofía. It’s also the shorter visit.

A short visit. The Reina Sofía. One guide says it’s the one you can finish in a day, and the Prado asks for a plan.

Classical painting, Velázquez and Goya. The Prado, and pick a focus, since two guides say you can’t see everything in one visit.

A full day. Both. Start at the Prado when it opens, have lunch, then walk to the Reina Sofía. If you’d like a smaller third stop, there’s the Thyssen.

On a budget. Use the free evening hours, and expect queues. Free slots may need a booking, so look at both museums’ pages before you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you visit the Prado or the Reina Sofía?

The Prado if you want classical European painting, the Reina Sofía for modern art and Guernica. Two of the 8 guides read put the Prado first, and five say to choose by taste.

Where is Guernica?

At the Reina Sofía Museum, according to 7 of the 8 guides read. The museum’s visit page lists the address as Calle de Santa Isabel 52.

How long do you need at the Prado?

Four guides say 2 to 3 hours for the highlights. A full visit takes much longer.

How long do you need at the Reina Sofía?

About 1.5 to 2 hours for the highlights, according to two guides.

When is the Prado free?

From 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday and 17:00 to 19:00 on Sunday and holidays, according to esMadrid. The free slot covers the permanent collection.

When is the Reina Sofía free, and when is it closed?

Free from 19:00 to 21:00 on Monday and Wednesday to Saturday and from 12:30 to 14:30 on Sunday. It’s closed on Tuesdays, according to the museum’s visit page.

Can you do both in one day?

Yes. Four guides suggest it, and they’re a 10 to 15 minute walk apart.

Rest of the trip: where to stay in Madrid and Madrid travel tips.

Sources: 8 guides in English, and 3 official pages

Guides in English

• Prado vs Reina Sofía: Which Madrid Museum Should You Visit?Art Visit Guide
• Madrid MuseumsWhat Madrid
• Best Museums in MadridCIEE
• Prado vs Reina SofíaCatch Movement
• Top 3 to do in MadridThe Girl Who Goes
• 5 must-visit museums in MadridLeonardo Hotels
• The 5 museums you can't miss in MadridJulia Travel
• Madrid in a dayB-Travel

Official pages

• Prado Museum (esMadrid)esmadrid.com
• Museo Reina Sofía visit pagemuseoreinasofia.es
• Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza visit pagemuseothyssen.org

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

CaixaForum Madrid Paseo del Prado Photo: José María T. G.