Top 3 Essential Art Museums in Madrid

The three main art museums in Madrid are word renowned and attract visitors from all over the world. The first of these is the iconic Museo del Prado which houses an unparalleled collection spanning 12th-19th century European art, including masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, and Titian. Next is the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía which showcases 20th-21st century modern and contemporary masters like Picasso’s anti-war monument Guernica, Salvador Dalí, and Joan Miró.

Completing Madrid’s trio of top art institutions is the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, with an impressive compilation of European works ranging from primitive Gothic to late 20th century, featuring pieces by Raphael, Rembrandt, Monet, Degas, Picasso, and more, presenting a comprehensive overview of art history under one roof.

Prado Museum

The Prado Museum houses one of the finest art collections in the world, featuring an unparalleled collection of European masterpieces from the 12th to 19th centuries. Founded in 1819 as a royal museum, it is located in a grand neoclassical building in central Madrid.

The museum’s crown jewels are its masterpieces by Spanish artists like Velázquez, El Greco, Goya, Murillo and Zurbarán. Velázquez’s iconic Las Meninas and Goya’s brutal depictions of the Peninsular War are among the standout works.

Art Museums in Madrid: El Prado - Las Meninas (Velazquez)
Velazquez’s Las Meninas

However, the Prado is also home to the single best collection of works by Peter Paul Rubens and other Flemish masters like Van Dyck and Jordaens. The Italian Renaissance is richly represented by artists such as Raphael, Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese.

Important artworks from other European schools make the Prado a comprehensive survey of Western painting. Key works include Bosch’s nightmarish Garden of Earthly Delights, masterpieces by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters, and examples of Neoclassical and Romantic paintings.

With over 8,600 paintings and 500 sculptures, the Prado is one of the most complete collections spanning from the 12th century to the early 19th century. Audio guides help visitors appreciate the historical significance and artistic mastery of its holdings.

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

The Reina Sofia Museum is Madrid’s premier modern and contemporary art museum. Founded in 1992, it is housed in an 18th century neo-classical building that was formerly a hospital. The museum’s crown jewel is Picasso’s Guernica, his famous 1937 depiction of the horrors of the Spanish Civil War. At over 25 feet wide, this visceral anti-war mural is one of the world’s most moving and powerful artworks.

Beyond Guernica, the highlights include excellent collections of Spain’s two other great 20th century masters – the Surrealist Salvador Dalí and the abstract artist Joan Miró. The museum also holds a wealth of other important Spanish artworks from the 20th century movements of Cubism, Surrealism, and Expressionism. Contemporary works and special exhibitions round out the collection.

With its vast open spaces, the renovated historic building provides an ideal setting to experience and contemplate the museum’s 20,000 artworks. Audio guides are available to enhance your self-guided tour. For modern art lovers, the Reina Sofia is an essential stop in Madrid.

Art Museums in Madrid: Reina Sofia Museum - Picasso's Guernica
Picasso’s Guernica in the Reina Sofia Museum

Picasso’s “Guernica”

When the Reina Sofia Museum became the new home of the Guernica it was a great accomplishment for the newly established museum. Picasso had created the work of art in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War having been commissioned by the Spanish Republican Government as anti war propaganda. He named it after the Basque town of Guernica which was bombarded by Nazi air strikes which caused the death of hundreds of civilians. Picasso created a striking black and white oil painting filled with the emotion of the violence, death, suffering, vulnerability, and cruelty associated with the events that took place.

The painting displays an explosion of chaos that includes various people, animals, and buildings. The allure of the piece also includes the twisted messages and hidden images within the painting, including a skull that forms the upper teeth and nose of a horse. A great deal of symbolism regarding war and Spanish culture has also made the Guernica a remarkable example of Spanish art.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum houses one of the world’s greatest private collections of European art. Located in the Palacio de Villahermosa, this museum complements Madrid’s other premier museums – the Prado Museum’s focus on old masters and the Reina Sofia’s modern art collections.

Art Museums in Madrid: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The Grand Canal from San Vio (ca. 1723 – 1724) by Giovanni Antonio Canal

The Thyssen-Bornemisza spans eight centuries of European painting, from the 13th century Gothic period through the late 20th century. Highlights include exceptional Renaissance and Baroque works by Dürer, Raphael, Titian, and Caravaggio. The museum is especially strong in Dutch and German art of the 16th-17th centuries.

For 19th century art lovers, the collection features Romantic paintings, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, Gauguin, and Van Gogh among others. Early 20th century modern movements like Fauvism, German Expressionism, and Cubism are also well represented.

With over 1,600 works arranged in chronological order, the Thyssen-Bornemisza provides a visual survey of the major periods and styles of European painting. Multimedia guides are available to enhance your self-guided tour through this exceptional collection.

Madrid Art Pass

If you intend visiting all the galleries of the Madrid art triangle it’s well worth buying the Madrid Art Pass which gets you into all three at a discount. Just ask at the reception of the first one you visit. Although less well known than the Prado and Reina Sofia Museums, the Thyssen Bornemisza museum often proves to be the favourite of many visitors to Madrid’s art triangle.

Other Art Museums in Madrid

Joaquín Sorolla Museum

The Joaquín Sorolla Museum provides a comprehensive look at the work of one of Spain’s most celebrated Impressionist painters. It is located in Sorolla’s former home and studio in central Madrid.

Sorolla (1863-1923) was a master of light and color, known for his sun-drenched beach scenes and portraits bathed in Mediterranean light. The museum contains the artist’s complete oeuvre, with over 300 paintings, sketches, and studies representing his full career.

Highlights include Sorolla’s monumental paintings of Spanish regional dress and customs like Vision of Spain. His luminous seascapes like Bathing at the Beach of Valencia capture the movement and iridescence of ocean waves. Portraits like My Wife and Daughters in the Garden showcase his virtuosic rendering of textiles and skin tones.

Museo de América

This is the finest collection of pre-Columbian art and artefacts in Europe. It contains articles that were brought back at the time of the Spanish Conquest as well as others that have been donated by various Latin American countries. The museum provides an excellent overview of the diverse indigenous civilizations across the Western Hemisphere before European contact. Highlights include impressive exhibits from the Mayan and Aztec civilisations.

In addition, the museum has exhibits covering the colonial period in the Americas after the Spanish conquest, including religious art and decorative objects that blend indigenous and European traditions. With over 25,000 artifacts spanning 3,000 years, the Museo de América provides visitors with a fascinating look at the rich heritage and artistic achievements of the pre-Columbian cultures across the American continents. Multimedia guides enhance the experience.

Museo Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid

The Museo Lázaro Galdiano houses the exceptional private art collection of José Lázaro Galdiano, a 20th century Spanish entrepreneur and patron of the arts. It is located in his former residence in central Madrid.

Galdiano amassed an incredibly diverse and high-quality collection spanning from ancient Egypt and Greece through the early 20th century. The museum’s strengths lie in medieval art, Spanish painting from the Golden Age, decorative arts, and 19th century works.

Highlights include outstanding examples of romanesque religious sculpture and artifacts. There are important paintings by El Greco, Goya, Zurbarán and other Spanish old masters. The ornate Sala de Armas (Hall of Arms) contains one of the finest collections of historic weapons and armor.

The decorative arts collection is renowned for its ivory carvings, enamels, jewelry, furniture, tapestries and ceramics from Europe and the Islamic world. 19th century art is represented by works from the Romantic, Impressionist and Realist movements.