Are Prado Museum Tickets Included In Any Attraction City Passes
Entry to the Prado Museum is included within a couple of city passes: the Madrid City Pass and the Art Walk Pass. Both allow you to skip the line and enter the museum.
The Madrid City Pass includes entrance to the Prado and many other attractions, as well as free travel on the hop on, hop-off city bus, and airport transfer by taxi to your hotel. It also includes discounts on a variety of other attractions and excursions.
The Art Walk pass allows entrance to the main collections of the 3 most important museums of Madrid: Prado Museum, Reina Sofia Museum and Thyssen Bornemisza Museum.
Facts And History Of The Prado Museum
To get you excited for your trip, here are some interesting facts about the Prado Museum and its history, thanks to the Museo Nacional del Prado website.
- The building was designed in 1785 to house the Natural History Cabinet.
- It opened to the public as an art museum only in 1819.
- Before being known as Prado, the museum was named Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures and National Museum.
- The opening catalog declared 311 paintings.
- The museum has acquired over 2,300 paintings and many sculptures, prints, and drawings in the last 200 years.
- The number of artworks increased so much in the 19th and 20th centuries that it was necessary to expand the building several times.
- The Prado buildings complex also included the Casón, an original ballroom part of the Buen Retiro Palace, now disappeared. From 1981 to 1992, the Casón also lodged Pablo Picassos painting Guernica which is now shown at Reina Sofía. Currently, the building hosts the Prado Library and the museums study center.
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Best Time To Visit Prado Museum Madrid
If you have purchased your tickets online, try arriving as soon as the museum opens at 10:00 AM. This way you can avoid the long lines at the security check and enjoy the museum without swarming crowds. The Prado Museum Madrid starts bustling around 11:00 AM up until 2:00 PM and then quietens again during lunch hours. If you can grab an early lunch, the hours of lunchtime lull, between 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM are also great to tour the museum.
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Know The 5 Entrances To Prado Museum Madrid
The Prado Museum Madrid being a massive one, has multiple points of entry, 5 to be precise. If you’re looking to buy tickets on the spot, you can buy them only from 2 entrances, both on Felipe IV Street in Plaza de Goya. Amongst these 2, Puerta de Goya Baja, offers a range of concessions and discounted tickets, hence the queues here are obviously longer. At the other one, Puerta de Goya Alta you have automated ticket machines but you have to pay full price though the lines here are considerably shorter. If you have purchased your tickets online, you can skip these two entrances and choose any of the other 3 entrances – Puerta de Velázquez, Puerta de los Jerónimos, and Puerta de Murillo for a speedy entry.
Traveler Tip: The lines at Puerta de Murillo are usually the shortest as they are technically only for educational and cultural groups. Sometimes the gatekeeper will usher you through, but you run the risk of ending up at the end of the line.
The Best Of The Prado From The Hand Of An Expert Guide
Perfect for a tour of the essential works of the Prado Museum, accompanied by a professional.
Duration:
This two-hour Spanish tour of the Prado Museum will allow you to learn about the most important paintings in the museum from an expert guide. The quality of the art can be appreciated for yourself, but the messages behind each work are what is truly fascinating about this museum. When you are in front of works such as Las Meninas, El Jardín de las Delicias or Los fusilamientos del 3 de mayo, don’t be in a hurry to move on to the next one.
You will see that I have put this option ahead of the individual ticket because in a place like El Prado, with so much history and symbolism behind its corridors and each of its works, I believe that an introductory guided tour of about two hours is the best way to get to know the museum and make the most of it. The group will have a maximum of 30 people.
Why I like this option: I think a guided tour of the Prado is essential due to its size and the large number of works it houses. With this option, in addition, you will do it at the best price.
Recommended if… you want to take a guided tour of the Prado without investing too much time or too much budget to see the most essential works of the museum.
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What To See At The Prado
You can see the Prado Museum in two hours or you can spend five hours touring the galleries. The length of your visit depends on you and your interest in art. In any case, there are works that you can not miss in any case.
Making a selection of the works to see in the Prado Museum is very difficult as you add one to the list you will remember two others that you cannot miss. Take this as a very small personal selection:
Is It Possible To Enter The Prado Museum For Free With A Tourist Card
Yes and no. Let me explain better: the city council or other organizations provide passes that allow free access to one or more museums. However, you will have to pay a fee to enjoy this privilege. Below you will find the available options:
- Art Walk Pass: gives you access to the three most important museums in Madrid: Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia. It normally costs between 30 and 40 and guarantees access to the permanent collections.
- Annual State Museums Card: in addition to the cultural institutions of the Paseo del Arte, you can enter as many times as you want in the Museo del Traje , Museo de América , Museo del Romanticismo , Museo Arqueológico Nacional and other cultural spaces of the capital. The price ranges between 35 and 40 .
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The Descent From The Cross By Van Der Weyden
Each person feels something different in front of each painting, but without going into the story behind it, this painting has always caught my attention because of the level of detail and a range of colors that seem to pop out of the painting. Take your time to observe the details of the folds and shadows of the clothing and then put the audio guide to work to identify the characters that appear in the painting.
What Is The Best Time To Visit The Prado Museum How Can You Avoid The Crowd
The Prado Museum is one of Madrids top must-see destinations and so can get very busy during the daytime, and especially during the free periods in the evening.
To avoid crowds, its best to go first thing after opening, or alternatively between 2pm 5pm, which is traditionally a siesta period and hence a little quieter. Booking in advance can help skip waiting times, so check out the offers available on TourScanner to help you get the most from your visit.
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The 3 May 1808 In Madrid
Artist: Francisco GoyaPainting type: Oil on canvasLocation: Room 032
The 3 May 1808 in Madrid by Spanish painter Francisco Goya is also known as The Executions.
The painting depicts the execution of Spanish patriots by the Napoleon armys firing squad as a retaliation for their uprising against the French occupation a day before.
Prado Tickets: Where And How To Buy Your Ticket To Skip The Line
Prado tickets. Visiting the Prado Museum means taking a trip into Spanish history and art. The works of art, in fact, come from the collections of the sovereigns of the Spaniards who, over the centuries, have bought or commissioned some of the most important masterpieces in the world.
To visit the Prado Museum in the best way, the advice is to book the tickets, avoiding the line at the entrance.Here is all the information you need to buy tickets.
Prado tickets
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The Landscape Of Light Unesco World Heritage Site
In the heart of Madrid, the Prado, the Thyssen and the Reina Sofía museums are all located at a short distance from each other. This area, known as the Paseo del Arte de Madrid or Madrid Art Walk, is one of the cultural treasures that motivated UNESCOs recent decision to declare the Paseo del Prado-Retiro zone a World Heritage Site, evocatively named El Paisaje de la Luz .
Direct Entrance Prado Museum Madrid Tickets
This Prado Museum ticket offers you full access to the museum for an entire day. The major benefit of this ticket is that it allows you to skip the line at the ticket office upon arrival, saving you time, discomfort, and stress.
You will be able to admire the over 1,300 paintings that are currently on display in the main building and appreciate artworks by some of the worlds greatest artists. While exploring the museums prestigious collection, youll come across works by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, and Hieronymus Bosch, amongst many others.
A great way to ensure that you see the Prado Museum highlights is to make use of the optional audio guide, which costs around $4 USD . Available for purchase on arrival at the museum, the audio guide steers you on a path rich with noteworthy artworks, providing historical context along the way.
- Full-day access to the Prado Museum, Madrid
- The ability to skip the ticket office lines
- A guided tour of the Prado Museum
- Transfers to and from your accommodation
- Food and drinks
What we liked
Explore the museum at your own pace, and spend as long as you like savoring the experience. This option is best for casual tourists or knowledgeable art enthusiasts who can guide themselves through the museum.
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Visiting The Prado Museum: What Well Cover
The Prado Museum, or Museo Nacional del Prado, is home to the most magnificent collections of art in Spain, and its on our list of the top things in Spain you have to see before you die. Any visitor to Madrid really must stop here to witness the incredible and moving artwork from renowned artists. In this article, Ill cover all the key information you need as you plan how to visit the Prado Museum.
Pro tip: To best remember how to visit the Prado Museum, bookmark this article in your browser to get back to it when you are in Madrid. Also, check out the best things to do in Madrid and where to stay around the city!
Saturn Devouring His Children By Goya
Goya’s black paintings are quite a shock for those who only know the author’s most classic work. Located in a separate room, it is inevitable to look at them and feel some of the anguish that surrounded the painter during the last years of his life. This is one of the best known of the collection and its expressiveness is overwhelming.
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Discover The Prado Museum Collection
The Prado Museum is often described as a museum of painters and not of paintings. The focus of the collection was directed towards renowned painters rather than simply acquiring famous paintings. For instance, the Prado collection has over 140 pieces by Goya. This resulted in an exclusive list of works by masters such as Hieronymus Bosch, Titian, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, Diego Velázquez and Francisco Goya.
Prado Museum currently holds 7600 paintings. Some of the fascinating works on display include The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch, Portrait of a Cardinal by Raphael, and The Three Graces by Rubens.
The Essentials Of The Prado With An Expert Guide Just For You
Tour the Prado in the most intimate experience with an art expert who will exclusively accompany you and your companions.
Duration:
If the option of a guided tour in the Prado attracts your attention, do not rule out a private tour of the Prado Museum. The price is somewhat higher than the usual guided tours, but the guide will be dedicated exclusively to you and your group.
In addition, the tour begins with a brief tour of the Paseo del Prado and its main points of interest, such as the Casa de América, the Cibeles Fountain and the Neptune Fountain. The guide will explain the details of the essential attractions of the center of Madrid and then move on to the guided tour inside the Museum. The tickets included in this tour will also allow you to skip the queues at the ticket office, which makes the tour much more enjoyable and fluid.
Why I like this tour: Although it has a higher price than the other options, this guided tour offers a more premium and complete experience, since in addition to the private visit to the Prado, the guide will take you on a brief tour of the surrounding area.
Recommended if… you want to get to know the surroundings of the Museum a little better and enjoy the intimacy and exclusivity of having a guide just for you.
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Prado Museum By Metro
Atocha Station serviced by Blue Line and Banco de Espana station serviced by Red Line are closest to the Prado Museum.
Atocha Railway Station is 1 Km from the Prado Museum, and you can walk the distance in 15 minutes or less.
Banco de Espana station is 750 meters from the art museum, and you can walk the distance in less than ten minutes.
If you are coming from outside the city, you must take a train to Madrid Atocha railway station.
Las Meninas By Velzquez
This is a family portrait in which the painter captures the moment when the Infanta Margarita accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting enters the room in which he himself is working. You will find different legends and secrets behind this painting so be sure to activate the audio guide or document yourself a little about it before going to see it.
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Prado Museum Map & Floor Plan
Level -1
Watch out for : Decorative ArtsDo not miss: Cup with Golden Mermaid, Anonymous
Level 0
Watch out for: Spanish Painting 1100-1910, German Painting 1450-1550, Sculptures, Flemish Painting 1430-1570, and Italian Painting 1300-1600 Do not miss: The Garden of Earthly Delights, Hieronymus Bosch and Saturn Devouring His Child, Francisco Goya
Level 1
Watch out for: German Painting 1750-1800, French Painting 1600-1800, Flemish Painting 1600-1700, Italian Painting 1450-1800, British Painting 1750-1800, Dutch Painting 1600-1695, Drawings, and Temporary Exhibitions Do not miss: The Feast of Bacchus, Diego Velázquez , Las Meninas, Diego Velázquez , La Maja Desnuda, Francisco Goya
Level 2
Watch out for: Sculptures, Spanish Painting 1700-1800, and German Painting 1750-1800Do not miss: The Parasol, Francisco Goya
To see the image of the Prado Museum floor plan, click here.
The Forge Of Vulcan By Velzquez
In Madrid there is a well-known bar named after this painting that for years has been one of the most studied in schools. In it, Velázquez represented a mythological scene between the God Apollo and the God of Fire who made all the metal objects of Olympus. The former is going to tell Apollo that his wife Venus has fallen in love with Mars, the God of war.
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Prado Museum Prices 2021
A standard Prado entrance ticket costs around $17 USD . A guided tour of the Prado Museum will set you back roughly between $40 USD and $180 USD , depending on the experience level of your tour guide and whether you choose a group or private tour.
See the Prado Museum price list below for up to date prices and the latest offers.
Visit Museo Del Prado
Based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, the Prado is a beautiful old castle with more than a thousand fascinating works on display. From Spanish masters like Velázquez and Goya, to works by Titian, Rembrandt, El Greco, Rubens and more, this is a must-see for the art lover.
Welcome to one of the world’s premier art galleries. The more than 7000 paintings held in the Museo del Prados collection are a penetrating look at the celebrated history of Spanish art. The collection includes a large number of paintings by Spanish Golden Age golden boy Velázquez, and an overview of the sombre, sometimes darkly psychological, works of Goya – widely considered to be the most important Spanish artist of his era.
And it’s not just Spanish art – Prado has works by a number of Flemish masters: Peter Paul Rubens, Pieter Bruegel, and Anton Van Dyck. And their collection also includes the remarkable Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, a weird-as-heck – and thoroughly wonderful – triptych. Full of hallucinatory images of hedonism, it’s thought to perhaps be a warning against the temptations of pleasure-seeking but, on the other hand… it makes it all look so good.
With one of the world’s finest collections of European art from the 12th century to the early 19th century, housed in a splendid castle, the Museo del Prado is one of the most visited art museums in the world. When you’re there, you’ll know why.
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