The Prado Museum, officially known as the Museo Nacional del Prado, is located in Madrid, Spain.
It houses one of the world’s greatest collections of classical European art, spanning from the 6th century BC to the late 19th century.
This makes it Spain’s main art museum, drawing over 2 million visitors annually.
There are works by some of the greatest Spanish painters on display in the museum, such as Velázquez and Goya, as well as Rubens and Bosch.
With over 2,300 paintings in its collection, around 1,300 are displayed at the museum, showcasing a rich tapestry of artistic heritage.
This article gives you information on Prado Museum tickets, helping you choose the best one for your trip!
Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 10 am to 8 pm
Sun and Holidays: 10 am to 5 pm
Last Entry: 30 minutes before closing
Time needed: 90 minutes
Best time to visit: 10 am and between 2 pm and 4 pm
Ticket costs: €15 to €39
Location:
The Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado) is located in central Madrid, Spain, specifically on Paseo del Prado.
Address:
C. de Ruiz de Alarcón, 23, Retiro, 28014 Madrid, Spain. Get Directions.
Prado Museum Entry Tickets
- Skip the line entrance to the museum
- Booking fee
Skip the line guide tour
- Admission ticket
- Certified guide
- Tapas tasting in a renowned Madrid bar
Paseo del Arte Card
- Entrance to Thyssen Museum
- Entrance to Prado Museum
- Entrance to Reina Sofia Center
Where to Buy Prado Museum Tickets
You can buy Prado Museum tickets online or in person at the on-site ticket counter.
Purchasing tickets on-site can involve lengthy wait times, from 15 minutes to a frustrating hour.
Add security checks, and you might lose valuable exploration time.
To streamline your visit and maximize your enjoyment, we highly recommend booking Prado Museum tickets online.
Buying online offers numerous benefits, including skip-the-line access, guaranteed entry on your chosen date, and potential discounts of 5 to 10%.
You will also get mobile tickets for easy access and convenience without needing physical tickets.
Moreover, Prado Museum online tickets come with timed entry options, enabling you to plan your visit more efficiently and avoid overcrowding at the museum.
Additionally, online Prado ticket booking also provides a variety of options to choose from, like guided tours and tours with transport.
You can pick the one that matches your interests.
How Do Online Prado Museum Tickets Work?
With these simple steps, booking Del Prado Museum tickets online is easy.
1. Select the ticket: Select the ticket you want to book from the various options.
2. Choose the preferred time: Select the dates and times you want to visit the El Prado Museum on the booking website.
You can also select the number of tickets you need.
Note: The time slot starts at 10 am.
3. Complete secure payment: Once you have selected your visit dates and tickets, you must complete the secure payment process.
You can pay with a variety of credit and debit cards.
4. Receive your tickets: After processing the payment, you will receive your Prado tickets by email.
There is no need for printouts. You can show the tickets in your email or smartphone and walk in.
Prado Musuem Ticket Price:
The Prado Museum entry ticket costs €18 per person, while the skip-the-line guided tour costs €34 for visitors over the age of 7.
Children under the age of 6 pay a reduced rate of €29.
Kids under the age of two can enter for free.
You can also buy the Paseo del Arte Card to access Madrid’s three most popular museums for just 35 euros per person.
Types of Prado Museum Tickets Online
A variety of Del Prado Museum tickets are available online. We have picked some of the best and most popular ones for you.
The two most famous and cheapest tickets for the Prado Museum are the entry ticket and the guided tour ticket.
Both tickets include priority access to the museum.
There is only one difference: the guided tour includes a tour guide who will show you notable artworks and give you insights about them.
By knowing more about the tickets, you can easily pick the best-suited one for yourself:
1. Prado Museum Skip the Line Ticket
A Prado Museum entry ticket is the cheapest way to visit the El Prado Museum.
These tickets provide visitors with direct entry to the museum and include admission to both the permanent collection and the temporary exhibitions.
Once you pass the security checks, you can explore the world’s largest and most important collection of Spanish paintings for as long as you want.
This Prado ticket is a great way to save time and hassle and is especially recommended for visitors visiting the museum during peak season.
If you are on a short visit and have a budget, you can purchase these cheapest skip-the-line tickets and enjoy.
However, the only task will be to explore the museum independently.
Prado Museum Ticket Price:
| Per Participant | € 18 |
With 12k reviews and a 4.6 stellar rating, these are the most popular and cost-effective Prado Museum tickets online. Book them now!
2. Prado Museum Guided Tour
The Prado Museum contains several buildings and has a collection of over 8,000 paintings.
Seeing such a huge collection without missing important artwork can be tough.
Prado Museum guided tour tickets provide a perfect solution to this problem.
Led by an expert guide during the 90-minute tour, you can see all the notable artworks and hidden pieces of the museum.
The tour guide will also tell you about the history, insights and inside stories behind these beautiful-looking paintings.
Besides this, you can also enjoy one-on-one communication and get answers to any questions regarding the museum collection.
If you want to ensure you cover all the museum’s highlights, these guided tour tickets are the best option!
Prado Museum Tour Price:
| Visitor’s Age | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket ( 7+ years) | € 35 |
| Child ticket ( 3 to 6 years) | € 29 |
| Infant ticket ( 2 years and younger) | Free |
With 1K reviews and 4.5 stellar ratings, these are among the most popular Prado Museum guided tour tickets available online.
3. Paseo del Arte Card
Madrid is surely a paradise for art lovers.
It has three of its finest art museums located near each other: the Prado Museum, the Thyssen Museum, and the Reina Sofia Museum.
If you plan to visit them together, buying tickets for each museum individually can be expensive and may cost € 20 per museum ticket.
With a Paseo del Arte Card in hand, you can effectively visit all three of them in a single package for just € 35.
And the best part? It is valid for one year from the date selected during your purchase, so you can take your time and visit the museums at your own pace.
This pass is a great way to save time and money on your Madrid visit!
Paseo del Arte Card Price:
| Per Participant | €35 |
Besides saving money and time, the Prado del Arte pass allows you to visit the museums at your own pace.
You can spread your visits out over several days or even weeks.
4. Prado Museum and Royal Palace Guided Tour
With these combo tickets in hand, you can visit Madrid’s top two attractions, the Royal Palace and the Prado Museum, on a guided tour.
Starting at the Felipe IV Statue in Plaza de Oriente, the tour will be led by an expert tour guide. From there, you will head to the Royal Palace.
After the palace, you can stroll through Madrid, explore a few more places and take a 15-minute break at Puerta del Sol, a famous square.
Finally, the tour concludes at the Prado Museum, where a guide will share insights into remarkable art collections.
Besides these attractions, you can also enjoy a walking tour of the surrounding areas and gain insights about the city and its sites from the guide.
If you want to explore two prominent city attractions on a guided tour, these tickets are a great option to consider!
Prado Museum and Royal Palace Tour Price:
| Visitor’s Age | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (18+ years) | €65 |
| Child ticket (4 to 17 years) | €49 |
| Infant ticket (3 years and below) | Free |
Do you know?
The Royal Palace of Madrid is enormous, with 3,418 rooms. It is, in fact, the largest royal palace in Europe.
Its interiors are designed using expensive materials such as mahogany doors, Spanish marble, and stucco.
Book these Prado Museum and Royal Palace combo tickets and see this enormous palace now!
5.Madrid Hop on Hop off Bus Tour
Purchasing a Madrid Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour provides a convenient way to explore Madrid’s attractions, allowing you to hop on and off at your own pace.
This bus tour is fun and informative, offering insights into the city’s history, culture, and top attractions through live guides or audio guides available in multiple languages.
With over 30 stops covering major attractions like the Museo del Prado, Plaza de España, and Palacio Real, you can design your own unique itinerary based on your interests.
By purchasing a tour ticket, your transportation around the city is sorted, making it easy to move between different sights without worrying about logistics.
This bus tour offers different routes covering both historic and modern Madrid, allowing you to explore various parts of the city and its architectural wonders.
The tours are ideal for exploring Madrid during pleasant seasons like spring or fall, when the weather is favorable and when the city is vibrant.
If you want a convenient, flexible, and informative way to discover the beauty and culture of the Spanish capital at your own pace, this bus tour is a perfect fit.
24-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Madrid Tour Price:
| Visitor’s Age | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (16 to 64 years) | €25 |
| Child ticket (7 to 15 years) | €11 |
| Infant ticket (upto 6 years) | Free |
| Senior ticket (65+ years) | €11 |
48-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Madrid Tour Price:
| Visitor’s Age | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (16 to 64 years) | €30 |
| Child ticket (7 to 15 years) | €15 |
| Infant ticket (upto 6 years) | Free |
| Senior ticket (65+ years) | €15 |
Is Entry to Prado Museum Free?
The Prado Museum offers free entry to visitors from 6 pm to 8 pm on Monday through Saturday and from 5 pm to 7 pm on Sundays and holidays.
This art museum is also free to visit on 19 November (the museum’s anniversary) and 18 May (International Museum Day).
Although free entry is quite tempting for budget travelers, you will find a long waiting line during these times.
If you plan to enter the Prado Museum for free, make sure to arrive at least 45 minutes before the free hours start to secure a good spot.
Are Museo del Prado Tickets Timed?
Tickets to the Prado Museum are timed to help control visitor flow and guarantee that everyone can explore the museum’s collection.
You will be asked to select a time slot when you book your tickets.
The timeslots begin at 10 am (when the museum opens) and repeat every 15 minutes.
You must arrive at least 15 minutes before the specified time on your Prado ticket.
If you are running late, you can enter the museum at the next open time period.
However, there is no certainty that a room will be available. So, arrive early to avoid disappointment.
How Long Does It Take to Visit the Prado Museum?
Visitors often spend around 1-2 hours seeing the highlights of the Prado Museum.
Depending on your time and interest, you can extend your visit to 3 to 4 hours to get the complete experience or enjoy a short visit.
If you are planning for long hours, book Prado Museum tickets in advance, take regular breaks in between at the Prado Cafe, and relax.
If you want a comprehensive and informed visit without missing major artworks, you can also opt for a guided tour of the Prado Museum, which takes around 90 minutes.
Read our article on the opening hours of Prado and how to reach the attraction easily.
What is the Best Time to Visit the Prado Museum?
The best time to visit the Prado Museum is either at 10 am when it opens or in the afternoon between 2 pm and 5 pm.
If you plan a morning visit, you can arrive at 10 am to beat the lines at the security check and explore with fewer people around.
The museum gets busier from 11 am to 2 pm, but you can opt for a crowd-free experience after 2 pm.
Weekdays are preferable over weekends for a relaxed visit, offering more time to enjoy the exhibits without overcrowding.
Additionally, if you are planning in advance, spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal due to the pleasant weather.
Summer months, from June to August, are the peak season, attracting more tourists, while winter is the low season with fewer visitors.
The winter months, from December to January, offer cheaper Prado Museum tickets and accommodations, but the temperature also drops.
What to See Inside Prado Museum
The Prado Museum has an outstanding collection of European masterpieces.
It showcases the finest works of acclaimed artists such as Velázquez, Goya, Rubens, Bosch, and more.
There are three floors, and on each one, you will find the most popular highlights and some of the must-see works of art, including:
Floor 1:
Velázquez: The Prado Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of Velázquez paintings. Be sure to see his masterpieces, like Las Meninas and The Maids of Honor.
El Greco: El Greco’s paintings are known for their elongated figures and dramatic lighting. See his masterpiece, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz.
Flemish art: The Prado Museum has one of the world’s finest collections, including those of Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and Hans Memling.
Floor 2:
Italian art: The Prado Museum has a significant collection of Italian art, including works by Renaissance masters such as Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, and Titian.
See Titian’s masterpiece, Danaë Receiving the Golden Rain.
Spanish art: The Prado Museum is home to a wide range of Spanish art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
See masterpieces by artists such as Francisco Goya, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and El Greco.
Floor 3:
19th-century art: The Prado Museum has a significant collection of 19th-century art, including works by Spanish artists such as Mariano Fortuny Marsal and Raimundo de Madrazo Garreta.
Sculpture: The Prado Museum has a collection of over 1,000 sculptures, including works by masters such as Michelangelo and Bernini.
Other Experiences Near Prado Museum
Royal Madrid Museum
The Royal Madrid Museum is the official residence of the Spanish royal family in Madrid, although it is now used for state ceremonies.
It contains 3,418 rooms and is the largest royal palace in Europe.
Thyssen Museum
The Thyssen Museum is an art museum in Madrid, Spain, located on one of the city’s main boulevards.
Visit the museum to see the revolution of European art through the eighth-century collection.
Museo Nacional Centro de
The Reina Sofia Museum is near the Atocha train, at the southern end of the Golden Triangle of Art.
It is the National Museum of Spain for 20th-century art, named after Queen Sofia.
FAQs
1. Is the Prado Museum worth visiting?
The museum houses one of the world’s greatest and most impressive collections of classical European art. It includes artwork ranging from the 6th century BC to the 19th century. The Spanish National Museum has over 8,000 paintings, 700 Spanish art sculptures, 10,000 photographs, and 9,000 drawings in its collection.
2. What is the most famous picture in the Prado Museum?
Las Meninas by Velázquez is the most famous picture in the Prado Museum. It also has one of the most enormous canvases, more than 3 meters wide and high compared to the Sevillian painter and his masterpiece. Also, some other famous artworks by Francisco Goya, Flemish art, and Italian art.
3. Do you need a ticket for the Prado Museum?
Yes, you will need an entrance-ticket-national-prado-museum El Prado Museum ticket to enter. You get to select your preferred time slot while booking your tickets. For free and reduced entry passes, you will need official proof of ID to show on the day of your visit.
4. Is Prado Museum free for tourists?
You get free admission if you visit the museum during the last two hours of the day. It is also entirely free for its visitors on November 19 and May 18. Although it is excellent for budget-friendly travelers, be prepared to face a huge crowd and long waiting lines during these times.
5. How much are tickets to the Prado Museum?
The ferrer noopener sponsored Prado Museum entry tickets cost €18 for adults under the age of 99. Students and visitors under 18 years old get free entry into the museum. If you wish to get the complete experience, buy the guided tour, which costs €34 for adults.
6. Why is the Prado Museum called the Prado?
In 1868, the museum was nationalized and named Museo del Prado, meaning Museum of the Meadow. This was about the wild field that previously occupied the museum’s location.
7. Do you need to buy tickets in advance for the Museo del Prado?
To secure your preferred time slot, you will need to buy ferrer noopener sponsored El Prado museum tickets in advance. If you are visiting in a group, you must buy tickets at least 24 hours before your trip, or you won’t be able to book a tour online at the last minute.
8. Is Prado Museum free for students?
Prado Museum student tickets start at 18 euros. The entry ticket has no discounts for seniors, students, children, or under-18s.
9. How much are Prado tickets?
The price of ferrer noopener sponsored Museo del Prado tickets starts at 18 euros per person.
10. What day is the Prado Museum free?
Visitors can enter the Prado Museum for free between 6 pm and 8 pm from Monday to Saturday. On Sunday, the free hours are from 5 pm to 7 pm.
11. How do I purchase tickets for the Prado Museum?
Tickets for the Prado Museum can be purchased online or at the ticket office on-site. Buying tickets online in advance is recommended to avoid long lines and ensure entry at your desired time.
12. Are there any discounts available for Prado Museum tickets?
Yes, the Prado Museum offers discounted tickets for students, seniors, and large families. Additionally, entry is free for children under 18, members of ICOM (International Council of Museums), and on certain days and times. Please check the official website for detailed information on discounts and free entry conditions.
13. Can I buy a skip-the-line ticket for the Prado Museum?
Yes, skip-the-line tickets are available for the Prado Museum and can be purchased online. These tickets allow you to bypass the regular ticket line, saving you time during your visit.
14. Is there a combined ticket that includes the Prado Museum and other attractions?
Yes, there are combined tickets available that include entry to the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. These tickets offer a convenient and cost-effective way to explore Madrid’s top art museums.
15. What is included in the Prado Museum ticket price?
The Prado Museum ticket provides access to the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Some special exhibitions may require a separate ticket or an additional fee, so it’s best to check the specifics when purchasing your ticket.
16. How far in advance can I purchase Prado Museum tickets?
You can purchase Prado Museum tickets anytime you want or even book them several months in advance. It’s advisable to buy tickets as early as possible, especially if you’re planning to visit during peak tourist seasons.
17. Do I need to print my Prado Museum ticket?
No, you do not need to print your ticket. You can present the digital ticket on your mobile device at the entrance for convenience and an eco-friendly option.
18. What is the cancellation policy for Prado Museum tickets?
You can cancel Prado Museum tickets within 24 hours of your booking date and time. This way, you can get a full refund. Typically, tickets bought online offer more flexibility for cancellations and changes.
19. Are guided tours available at the Prado Museum?
Yes, the Prado Museum offers guided tours led by knowledgeable guides who provide in-depth insights into the museum’s collection. These tours can be booked in addition to your entrance ticket, offering a more comprehensive experience of the museum’s masterpieces.
20. How much are tickets to the Prado Museum?
The Prado tickets range from €18 to € 65 and more, depending on your ticket type. The two most popular options are the entrance-ticket-national-prado-museum ferrer noopener sponsored Prado Museum Skip the Line Ticket, which is available for €18. Another option is a guided tour, which is available for €35.
21. Is entry to the Prado Museum free?
The Prado Museum offers free entry from 6 pm to 8 pm on Monday through Saturday and from 5 pm to 7 pm on Sundays and holidays. Additionally, entry is free on 19 November (the museum’s anniversary) and 18 May (International Museum Day). However, there might be heavy crowds and long waiting lines during these times.
22. Do you need to buy tickets in advance for Prado Museum?
Yes. Buying Prado Museum tickets in advance is highly recommended. Purchasing them in advance helps you skip long lines at the entrance, secure your preferred date and time slot, and avail yourself of discounted tickets
23. How can I get free Prado entry?
As mentioned earlier, free entry to the Prado Museum is available during specific hours and on certain dates. Visitors can take advantage of free entry during the designated time slots. It is recommended to arrive early (at least 45 minutes before the free hours start) to avoid crowds.
24. How do I purchase tickets for the Prado Museum?
Prado Museum tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket office on-site. Buying tickets online in advance is recommended to avoid long lines and ensure entry at your desired time
25. Are there any discounts available for Prado Museum tickets?
The Prado Museum offers discounted tickets for students, seniors, and large families. Additionally, entry is free for children under 18, members of ICOM (International Council of Museums), and on certain days and times. Please check the official website for detailed information on discounts and free entry conditions.
26. What is included in the Prado Museum ticket price?
The Prado ticket provides entry to the museum and access to the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. However, some special exhibitions may require a separate ticket or an additional fee.
27. What is the most famous picture in the Prado Museum?
Las Meninas by Velázquez is the most famous picture in the Prado Museum. It also has one of the most enormous canvases, more than 3 meters wide and high compared to the Sevillian painter and his masterpiece. Also, some other famous artworks by Francisco Goya, Flemish art, and Italian art.
28. Is the Prado Museum worth it?
Absolutely! The Prado Museum is one of the main Spanish national art museums, housing some of the world’s finest collections of European art and the single best collection of Spanish art. You will love exploring this stunning museum, even if you are not an art enthusiast.
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