6 Reasons to Visit the Prado Museum

Haven't visited the Prado Museum in Madrid yet? If you're an art and history lover, it should be on your bucket list. You'll enjoy what is considered one of the most important art collections in the world, housed in a stunning historic building in the center of Madrid.

The halls of the National Prado Museum host an extensive collection of European paintings, making it one of the most important museums in the world. Located on the Paseo del Prado, it forms the main vertex of the so-called "Art Triangle," which also includes the Reina Sofía Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, both very close to the Prado. It is a must-stop for art lovers in Madrid.

1. Its History Spans 200 Years

The Prado Museum first opened its doors to the public in 1819. The building, designed in 1785, was not originally intended to be an art museum. However, King Ferdinand VII, encouraged by his wife Maria Isabel de Braganza, eventually made it so.

The newly inaugurated National Museum of Painting and Sculpture, later to be known as the National Prado Museum, initially consisted of 311 paintings by Spanish artists but also housed more than 1,500 works from the Royal Collections. These Royal Collections were the seed of what the Prado is today, which began to take shape during the reign of Charles III.

To mark the Prado Museum's bicentennial, various events, exhibitions, and activities have been organized. The theme of the Bicentennial celebration is to explain to the public how a private royal collection became Spain's most important public cultural institution. This is a unique opportunity to take a guided tour of the Prado Museum in Madrid and discover its main works.

2. It Is the 2nd Most Visited Museum in Spain

According to various statistics, the Prado Museum ranks second in visits after the Reina Sofía Museum of contemporary art. Despite not being the most diverse museum in terms of collections, the magnitude of its works makes it a unique and exceptionally high-quality museum, housing notable works by many internationally renowned geniuses such as Velázquez, Goya, Rubens, El Greco, Rivera, Murillo, Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Tiepolo, and van Eyck, as well as hosting the world's most important collection of works by Bosch, including his famous Garden of Earthly Delights.

Thus, the Prado Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world. According to recent data, the Museum ranks 14th on the list of "The 100 Most Visited Museums in the World," compiled by the renowned newspaper The Art Newspaper. Will you miss it?

3. School of Painters

They say the Prado Museum's art gallery consists of works by "painters admired by painters." And it's true that, due to the quality of the works it houses, many artists, creators, and painters have gone there to learn from the great masters.

Painters such as Mariano Fortuny, Eduardo Rosales, Ignacio Zuloaga, and Joaquín Sorolla developed their own styles under the influence of Velázquez and Goya's works at the Prado Museum. Other painters who frequented the museum include Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Gustave Courbet, Renoir, and Toulouse-Lautrec. A particular champion of the Prado Museum was the artist Édouard Manet, a great admirer of Velázquez's work.

Other creators who admired the Prado and further elevated its reputation include Antonio Saura, Guillermo Pérez Villalta, Eduardo Arroyo, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Richard Hamilton, and Cai Guo-Qiang, among many others. Undoubtedly, the Prado Museum has been and continues to be a source of continuous inspiration for creators and art lovers.

4. An International Meeting Place

The Prado Museum is a meeting point where experts and personalities from all fields converge. Some of the world's most important dignitaries include a visit to the museum on their official itineraries. Among them are Margaret Thatcher, Queen Elizabeth II of England, and former U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama.

Other notable figures from the world of cinema, music, and entertainment have also included a visit to the Prado Museum in their itineraries. These include renowned personalities such as Orson Welles, Jimmy Stewart, Harrison Ford, Madonna, Robert Redford, Woody Allen, Michael Jackson and the Jacksons, and many more. Don't miss out—come visit with us!

5. It Houses One of the Most Important Art Libraries

Near the main building of the Prado Museum, adjacent to Retiro Park, is the Casón del Buen Retiro, an annex to the museum that currently houses the Prado Museum Study Center. This prestigious research center is home to the Prado Museum Library and also serves as the venue for the annual Prado Chair, an event of international scope.

The Prado Museum Library is one of the least-known but most interesting areas of the museum. The Luca Giordano Reading Room is open to the general public and allows for research on the world's most important art works. Additionally, it specializes in painting and sculpture from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, making it one of the most important art libraries in Spain.

6. The Most Important Collection of Goya's Paintings

The Prado Museum's extensive collection of Spanish painting is its main asset. It is the most important collection of Spanish painting in quality and quantity in the world and enjoys great international prestige. Among the various works and artists it encompasses, the collection of works by Spanish painter Francisco de Goya stands out in particular.

The Goya collection at the Prado Museum features pieces from all periods and aspects of his artistic work. It includes a total of 132 paintings, including his most acclaimed and well-known masterpieces. If you visit Goya's works at the Prado Museum, you will see with your own eyes masterpieces such as Charles IV of Spain and His Family, The Nude Maja, or The Third of May 1808 in Madrid, also known as "The Executions."