How to Buy Tickets for the Prado Museum in Madrid

Are you traveling to Madrid and trying to figure out which museums to visit? You can’t go wrong with a stop at the Museo del Prado, or the Museo Nacional del Prado as it is known in Spanish. Located on the Paseo del Arte, this centuries-old museum houses exquisite artworks by some of the greatest European painters, such as Titian, Rubens e Bosch. The Museo del Prado is a true treasure with a unique collection of over 8,000 paintings from the 11th to the 19th century. It is considered “a museum of painters, not paintings“, as its collection began in the 16th century when monarchs and art collectors focused on accumulating works by their favorite artists rather than creating a complete and balanced collection.

With such an extraordinary collection and a historic building, it’s no surprise that over two million visitors visit the Museo del Prado each year. In this guide, we will share our tips and tricks for visiting the Museo del Prado, along with all ticket and tour options, to help you choose those that best suit your travel needs.

If you’re in a hurry. How to buy tickets for the Museo del Prado: to avoid spending your holidays under the scorching sun, we highly recommend booking a skip-the-line ticket for the Museo del Prado or opting for a guided tour. The latter is usually the best choice, as it offers deeper insights into the artists and masterpieces on display. Additionally, you can combine a visit to the Museo del Prado with the Museo Reina Sofia or the Royal Palace in a single guided tour, getting the most value for your money.

Best way to buy tickets for the Museo del Prado

If you’re wondering where to buy tickets for the Prado Museum, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re looking for a private guided tour, free tickets, or simply want to skip the line for tickets, we have all your options listed below.

Queuing in person (not recommended)

Although you can purchase tickets for the Prado Museum directly at the museum, we do not recommend doing so. While the Prado Museum is not as crowded as the Reina Sofía Museum, it can still have sold-out time slots and long queues outside, especially for temporary exhibitions. Instead of gambling and waiting in the sun for a ticket, we recommend buying your tickets online in advance. This way, you can save time (and a possible sunburn) by skipping the queue at the museum ticket office.

However, if you hope to get free tickets for the Prado Museum during its free admission hours, you will need to queue outside the ticket office. The museum offers two hours of free access at the end of each day, but does not allow entry 30 minutes before closing, so you will need to arrive early. The queue for free tickets can vary from 30 minutes to an hour depending on how busy the city is and whether it’s a weekend, so we recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before the start of the free access hours so you can make the most of your free ticket. You can obtain free tickets for the Prado Museum in person from Monday to Saturday from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM (the museum closes at 8:00 PM) and Sunday from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM (the museum closes at 7:00 PM).

Book online (recommended)

Booking tickets for the Prado Museum in advance online is the smartest way to go. Not only does the pre-purchased pass act as a skip-the-line ticket for the Prado Museum, but it can be purchased comfortably from your air-conditioned hotel. Booking online in advance also means you will have the certainty of a ticket, as the museum manages its tickets through a timed entry system. This is especially important if you have a busy itinerary planned, as you will want the assurance of being able to enter at a time that fits your group’s schedule. Tickets can be purchased on the official Prado Museum website or through a third-party reseller like our partner GetYourGuide. The advantage of using the latter, if your original currency is not the euro, is that you can pay in your national currency since it offers multiple currency options. This means you can avoid bank fees for charging your card in another currency.

Book a guided tour

If you want to learn more about how the collection was acquired, the artists behind the masterpieces, and the masterpieces themselves, your best option is to book a guided tour of the Prado Museum. 90-minute tours are available during checkout for a general admission ticket on the official website, or you can book a guided tour from a third-party reseller. We recommend this 90-minute tour of the Prado Museum as the ticket is refundable up to 24 hours before (tickets from the official Prado Museum website are non-refundable for all bookings), is accompanied by an expert guide, and offers the option to add a tapas tasting after the museum tour. You also have the option to use GetYourGuide’s “book now, pay later” feature, which means you can book and secure a ticket and worry about paying at a later time.

Book a combined guided tour ticket

If you don’t have much time in the city and would like to visit other Madrid attractions such as the Reina Sofía Museum or the Royal Palace of Madrid, why not combine the tours to create a fantastic morning of fun and artistic knowledge?

This combined guided tour of the Prado Museum and Reina Sofía Museum starts at 9:45 in the morning, where you will be guided on a 90-minute tour of the museum followed by 30 minutes of free time to explore the artworks independently. Afterwards, the group will head to the Reina Sofía Museum where you will visit incredible contemporary and modern works by Spanish artists such as Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Joan Miró for 75 minutes.

If you want to combine a visit to the Prado Museum with a guided tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid, take a look at this five-hour combined tour from our partner. The tour starts at 9:45 at the Prado Museum for a two-hour guided visit of the museum and its works. Afterwards, you will walk for 15 minutes along the street to the Royal Palace, where your tour group will have a two-hour guided visit of the royal residence.

Buy a tourist pass

If you are a traveler who likes to experience as many attractions and experiences as possible during your holidays, a Madrid tourist pass might be the right choice. There are two fantastic tourist passes that will not only give you access to the Prado Museum, but also to over 30 other attractions and tours in Madrid, such as the Reina Sofía Museum, a tour of Madrid’s main attractions, a flamenco show and a food tour, and the National Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

Buy a Paseo del Arte Pass

Art and museum enthusiasts planning to visit the three major museums (the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum) on the Prado MuseumPrado Museum might be interested in this comprehensive museum pass. The Paseo del Arte Pass allows unlimited visits to all three museums for one year. It can be purchased on the official websites of any of the three museums and collected at the same museum.

Useful information for visiting the Prado Museum

What is the best time to visit the Prado Museum?

The best time to visit the Prado Museum to avoid crowds is during weekday mornings just as the museum opens. This way, you avoid weekend tourists and residents off work. Mornings also tend to be less crowded, as most tourists prefer entry times between 11:00 and 14:00. The high season will also affect the number of visitors inside, so if possible, visit the museum during the low season (March-May) or the off-season (November-February).

What are the opening hours of the Prado Museum?

The Prado Museum is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00. The days the museum is closed are January 1st, May 1st, and December 25th. Visitors will also find reduced hours on December 24th, December 31st, and January 6th. Free entry hours are from Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 20:00 and Sundays/holidays from 17:00 to 19:00.

How to get to the Prado Museum?

The Prado Museum is located on the Paseo del Arte, in the heart of Madrid. There are several ways to get there: on foot, by public transportation, or with a rental service. Those who want to drive and park at the museum will not find parking on site, but there are paid garages nearby. For those who want to use public transport, bus numbers 001, 10, 14, 27, 34, 37, 45, and C03 have stops within walking distance of the museum. The same goes for the subway; both the blue line 1 and the red line 2 have stops about a 10-minute walk away. Those who have purchased a Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus ticket will also find a stop nearby.

What are the tickets for the Prado Museum?

Tickets for the Prado Museum operate on a timed entry system, meaning there is a limit to the number of people who can enter each hour or time slot. To enter, buy Prado Museum tickets in advance online or at the museum’s ticket office. We recommend you arrive at least 15 minutes before your entry time, as you might have to wait in line for ticket verification, and you never know when traffic might slow you down on the way to the museum. Simply show your ticket on your mobile device or in printed form at the gate and you will be granted access to the museum.

How much do tickets to the Prado Museum cost?

Tickets for the Prado Museum are quite reasonable and there are several free tickets available. The price of a general admission ticket is €15, including access to temporary exhibitions. Tourists can choose to add a 90-minute guided tour for €10 or an audio guide for €5. A reduced admission ticket is available for €7.50 for seniors over 65, Youth Card holders, and large families consisting of at least one adult and three children or two children if one has a disability.

Children under 18, students aged between 18 and 25, people with a disability degree of 33% or higher, active teachers, journalists, and students aged 25 or older studying an undergraduate or postgraduate art course within the Spanish Education System are all entitled to free tickets for the Prado Museum, but they must provide proof. This means you will need to bring proof (e.g., university ID, etc.) to the ticket office on the day of your visit to validate the free ticket, but you can obtain the free ticket online on the official website to ensure you have a reserved time slot.

What are the best hotels near the Prado Museum?

Since the Prado Museum is located right in the heart of the city and close to attractions such as Retiro Park, the Naval Museum, and the Royal Palace of Madrid, you and your group might want to stay nearby. The Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes is an excellent choice for tourists, especially for those looking for a pet-friendly hotel in Madrid. The four-star hotel offers air-conditioned and soundproof rooms decorated in a contemporary style, as well as an onsite restaurant and café serving complimentary snacks and sandwiches. Catalonia is a 10-minute walk from the Prado Museum and from Plaza Mayor, and one block from the lively tapas bars and restaurants of Calle de las Huertas..

The Only YOU Hotel Atocha is also a great option for those who want to be within walking distance of several attractions. This four-star hotel is located right next to the Royal Observatory of Madrid and is less than a 5-minute walk down the road from Retiro Park.

Inside this modern hotel, visitors will find a café, a bakery, and a rooftop panoramic restaurant, along with soundproof rooms and private parking.

Those who prefer cooking their own meals may be interested in booking a room at the Bob W Arte Hotel. This stunning aparthotel offers comfortable contemporary rooms equipped with a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and air conditioning. Guests are also provided with complimentary breakfast. The hotel is located just down the road from the Reina Sofía Museum and less than 20 minutes on foot from the Prado Museum, the Railway Museum, and Retiro Park.

Security information for the Prado Museum

The Prado Museum has a security and luggage check that all visitors must pass before entering the museum. Large bags (larger than 40 cm by 40 cm), outside food and drinks, scooters, and bicycles, including water, are prohibited inside the museum. Guests can leave backpacks, coats, and larger bags in a cloakroom locker for free during their visit. The Prado Museum also has a strict no photography policy, so cameras must be left in the locker.

Visiting the Prado Museum with a disability

Like other museums in Madrid, the Prado Museum has made great efforts to make its attraction as accessible as possible for those with disabilities. Not only those with a disability of 33% or more are entitled to free admission, but wheelchairs, audioguides, Signoguide in LSE, and induction loops are also available free of charge. The museum also offers an accessibility plan for the visit outlining an accessible and friendly route for 10 masterpieces of the museum, as well as a program of accessible activities and meninas tactile for the blind or visually impaired.

Curiosities about the Prado Museum

What is the Prado Museum?

The Prado Museum is the main national Spanish art museum with an incredible collection of Spanish and European artworks ranging from the 6th century BC to the 19th century. Spread over three floors with over 7,500 paintings, visitors will find masterpieces by artists such as Peter Paul Rubens, Titian, Rembrandt, and Velázquez.

What are the must-see paintings at the Prado Museum?

There are several impressive works displayed at the Prado Museum, but the top five to see are Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights Triptych, El Greco’s Gentleman with His Hand on His Chest, Velázquez’s Las Meninas, Goya’s The Third of May 1808, and Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son.

Where is the Prado Museum located?

The Prado Museum is located in the heart of Madrid, next to the Royal Botanical Garden and two blocks from Retiro Park.

How old is the Prado Museum?

The Prado Museum is one of the oldest museums in the world and was founded in 1819, making it just over 200 years old.

Who built the Prado Museum?

The original design of the Museo del Prado was not for artworks. It was actually designed by the architect Juan de Villanueva in 1785 by order of King Charles III as the new home for the Cabinet of Natural History. However, it was the king’s grandson, King Ferdinand VII, who made the final decision that it would be used as a national museum for the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures, which in turn became the Museo del Prado.

How much time should I spend inside the Museo del Prado?

It is impossible to see everything the Museo del Prado has to offer in just one visit. However, visitors should aim to spend three to four hours inside to make the most of their ticket and see some of the most famous paintings.

Can I get free tickets for the Museo del Prado?

Yes, free tickets are available every day at the museum’s ticket office during the last two hours before closing. Free tickets are also available online for children under 18, students, teachers in service, and more.

Are there audioguides at the Museo del Prado?

Yes, audioguides can be rented for €5 both by booking your tickets in advance and at the audioguide station.

Can I buy skip-the-line tickets for the Museo del Prado?

Yes and no. Technically, any ticket purchased online in advance allows you to skip the initial ticket line just like a skip-the-line pass. However, there is no skip-the-line ticket for the Museo del Prado that lets you skip the security line. Priority is only given to those with disabilities.

Now that you are an expert on how to visit the Museo del Prado in Madrid, all that remains is to decide how you want to visit this incredible attraction! We hope you dive into all the amazing artworks on display and create unforgettable memories in the Spanish capital.