Visiting the Prado Museum in Madrid: advice, tickets, opening times and useful tips

Are you planning to visit the Prado Museum in Madrid? This temple of Spanish art is home to masterpieces by Goya, Velázquez, Rubens and many others. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll find all the advice you need to prepare for your visit to the Prado museum: opening times, skip-the-line tickets, must-see works, tips for children and guided tours in French.

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Tickets to visit the Prado Museum: information and prices

Yes, a thousand times yes! Buying your tickets online will save you a long queue, especially in high season or at weekends. You should book your skip-the-line ticket here for €18 via our partner (compared with €22 on the official website).

→ Book your ticket here

Reduced rates €7.50 on site for :

• +65 years
• Large families
• European Youth Card

Free admission :

• Every day from 6pm to 8pm (5pm to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays)
• Under-18s, students aged 18-25
• Journalists, unemployed, people with reduced mobility (with proof)
• On 19 November (the museum’s anniversary) and 18 May (International Museum Day)

Please note : free admission does not give access to temporary exhibitions.

Opening times of the Prado Museum in Madrid

Opening times :

• Monday to Saturday : 10am – 8pm
• Sundays and public holidays : 10am – 7pm

Closed : 1 January, 1 May, 25 December

Our tip : come as soon as it opens or around 1.30pm (Spanish lunchtime) to avoid the crowds.

Access to the Prado Museum: metro, bus, car park

• Address: Calle de Ruiz de Alarcón, 23 – 28014 Madrid
• Metro: Banco de España (L2)
• Train: Atocha (Cercanías)

Located on the Paseo del Arte, between Retiro Park and the Botanical Gardens.

No on-site parking. Please use public transport or reserve a parking space in advance.

Must-see works at the Prado Museum

The Prado Museum is divided into 3 parts:

• The Jerónimo building, which houses temporary exhibitions on levels 0 and 1, and the cloister on level 2.
• The Prado, the main building housing the permanent European collections.
• The Villanueva building, which houses paintings and sculptures.

With over 8,000 paintings, 1,000 sculptures and thousands of drawings, it’s impossible to see everything in one visit. Here are a few masterpieces not to be missed:

The great Spanish masters :

• Velázquez: Les Ménines, Les Fileuses
• Goya: La Maja Nue, El Tres de Mayo, Saturn devouring one of his children
• El Greco: The Adoration of the Shepherds

Flemish school:

• Bosch: The Garden of Delights
• Rubens: The Three Graces, The Adoration of the Magi
• Brueghel and Van Dyck

Bonus: a replica of the Mona Lisa painted by a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci, on display at the Prado but rarely mentioned.

Our advice: download the museum map or select the works you wish to see in advance to optimise your visit.

When can I visit the Prado Museum for free?

The Prado Museum offers free time slots:

• Monday to Saturday: 6pm to 8pm.
• Sundays and public holidays from 17:00 to 19:00.
• Admission is also free all day on 19 November (Museo del Prado anniversary) and 18 May (International Museum Day).

Admission to the Museo del Prado is also free for children under 18, students aged between 18 and 25, journalists, people with reduced mobility and the unemployed, subject to proof at the ticket office.

There are many free museums in Madrid, see our article: Free museums in Madrid.

Free night-time visits

Every 1st Saturday of the month, the Prado Museum opens its doors to the public free of charge from 8.30pm to 11.30pm.

Guided tour of the Prado Museum in French

A guided tour is ideal for gaining a better understanding of the works and the history of the artists. The Prado is full of symbols, religious and political references… and on your own, you can sometimes miss them.

You can opt for :

• Audioguide to hire at the entrance
• Guided tour with an accredited guide (in english): approximately €36

You can book a guided tour of the Prado Museum in english.

Entrance tickets are not included in the price of the tours.

How long should I allow to visit the Prado?

There’s no rule! It depends on your interest in art, your energy, or your children

The guided tour generally lasts between 1h30 and 2h. After this time spent with the guide, you’ll have seen the major paintings in the museum, with lots of new stories and exciting information in your head about the works as well as the history of Madrid and the country.

Otherwise, the cost of a single visit varies greatly, especially if you’re with children. You can visit the Prado Museum in 1 hour or 5 hours. If you want to stay between 1 and 2 hours, we advise you to select the rooms and works that interest you most beforehand. Don’t hesitate to use the resources available online on the museum’s official website. This tour is excellent if you are planning to visit Madrid in 4 days.

Visiting the Prado Museum with children: tips

Let’s be honest: museums aren’t always a child’s favourite activity. But there are some tips:

• Bring a small notebook and pencils: they can draw the paintings that inspire them.
• The museum offers a special children’s card (for children aged 7 and over).
• It’s free for under-18s, so there’s no pressure to cut short your visit!
• Plan to take a break in the cafeteria to catch your breath.

The easiest and most effective way: a notebook and pencils. They choose paintings they like to reproduce in drawings. Depending on the period and the painter, the pictures are not necessarily very cheerful or colourful, so we suggest you give them a little guidance!

The Prado, a well-prepared must-see

The Prado museum is a must-see in Madrid, but to get the most out of it, it’s best to plan ahead: times, tickets, works to see, guided tour or not…

And if you’re in Madrid for a few days, don’t forget to consult our other practical guides to help you organise your days and discover the city like a local.

Need accommodation near the Prado? Discover our selection of the best accommodation in Madrid, classified by district.

FAQ – Visiting the Prado museum

When can you visit the Prado museum free of charge?

Monday to Saturday from 6pm to 8pm, and Sundays and public holidays from 5pm to 7pm. Free admission also on 19 November and 18 May.

Can I visit the Prado with a French-speaking guide?

Yes, guided tours are available from €36, and enable you to discover the major works in around 1? hours.

What are the most famous paintings in the Prado museum?

The Meninas (Velázquez), The Garden of Delights (Bosch), The Nude Maja (Goya), The Three Graces (Rubens), among others.

How much does a ticket to the Prado cost?

€18 for an all-inclusive ticket via our partner (€22 on the official website), reduced to €7.50 on site.