Museums & Galleries in Madrid

One of the world's premier art museums, the Prado houses over 8,000 paintings including the finest collections of Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, and Bosch. Must-see masterpieces include Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's The Third of May 1808 and his haunting Black Paintings, Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights, and works by Rubens, Titian, and Raphael. The museum's neoclassical building and expansion by Rafael Moneo create an inspiring setting for European art from the 12th to early 20th century.

Spain's national museum of 20th-century art, internationally renowned for housing Picasso's monumental anti-war masterpiece Guernica. The collection spans Spanish art from 1900 to 1980, featuring Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Juan Gris, and Antoni Tàpies. The striking glass elevator additions by Jean Nouvel complement the original 18th-century hospital building. Explore surrealism, cubism, and Spain's artistic response to political upheaval through rotating exhibitions and permanent galleries.

This exceptional museum completes Madrid's Golden Triangle, featuring nearly 1,000 works spanning eight centuries. The collection fills gaps left by the Prado and Reina Sofía, with exceptional holdings in Italian primitives, German Renaissance, Dutch masters, Impressionism, and American art. Highlights include works by Caravaggio, Dürer, Monet, Van Gogh, Kandinsky, and Hopper. The Villahermosa Palace setting and manageable size make it perfect for a comprehensive art history journey.

The former home and studio of Spain's master of light, Joaquín Sorolla, showcases his luminous Mediterranean beach scenes and portraits. This intimate museum preserves the artist's personal environment, including his Andalusian-style garden with fountains and glazed tiles. The collection of over 1,200 works reveals Sorolla's evolution and his extraordinary ability to capture Spanish sunlight and coastal life with impressionistic brilliance.

A stunning contemporary cultural center housed in a converted power station with a dramatic vertical garden façade by Patrick Blanc. The rust-red building appears to float above the plaza. CaixaForum hosts world-class temporary exhibitions ranging from ancient civilizations to contemporary art, photography, and multimedia installations. The top-floor café offers views of the botanical wall and Paseo del Prado.