Madrid Museum Tickets 2026: Prices and How to Book
What you actually pay to enter Madrid's museums in 2026: Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen, Royal Palace and the small ones. Plus when to book online, when to walk in, and whether the Paseo del Arte card saves money.
If you're planning a few museum days in Madrid, the pricing looks simple until you actually start booking: three big museums on different systems, a combined pass that pays off for some visitors, and a cluster of small museums that cost €3 or nothing. This is what each Madrid museum charges in 2026, and where to buy without paying more than you need.
Paseo del Prado: the three big ones
Museo del Prado: €15. Free the last two hours every day (Mon-Sat 18:00-20:00, Sun 17:00-19:00). Single tickets sold at museodelprado.es without booking fees. The Prado rarely sells out, so the online ticket mainly saves you the 25-40 minute queue at the ticket desk. For a deeper look at the free hour strategy, see our Prado free admission guide.
Museo Reina Sofía: €12. Free Mon and Wed-Sat 19:00-21:00, Sun 12:30-14:30. Closed every Tuesday. Direct booking at museoreinasofia.es. Skip-the-line is almost never needed here.
Thyssen-Bornemisza: €13. Full access ticket includes permanent collection, the Carmen Thyssen Collection, and current temporary exhibitions. Free every Monday 12:00–16:00 (permanent only). Direct booking at museothyssen.org.
Paseo del Arte card: €32.80. One visit to each of the three, valid 12 months. Breakeven is all three museums: single tickets = €40, card = €32.80 (saves €7.20). If you're doing only two, buy separately.
Where to book the Prado
Our take: The Prado rarely sells out — the official €15 is the default. Use GYG if your dates might change, or for a guided tour (worth it given the Prado's scale and lack of signage).
Royal Palace and the big one-offs
Palacio Real: €18 (reduced €9). Free for EU residents Mon-Thu 16:00-19:00, useful if you qualify; otherwise pay full price and skip the crowd. Audio guide €5, guided tour €8. Book at patrimonionacional.es.
CaixaForum Madrid: €6. Temporary exhibitions only (no permanent collection). Small venue, always has something worth seeing. Direct at caixaforum.org.
Small museums: €3 or free
Five state-run museums each cost €3 at full price and are free on Sundays, plus additional free slots during the week:
| Museum | Full price | Free windows |
|---|---|---|
| Cerralbo | €3 | Thu 17:00-20:00, all Sundays |
| Sorolla | €3 | Sat 14:00 onwards, all Sundays |
| Romanticismo | €3 | Sat 14:00 onwards, all Sundays |
| Arqueológico Nacional | €3 | Sat 14:00 onwards, all Sundays |
| Museo de América | €3 | Thu 14:00 onwards, all Sundays |
At €3 these don't need advance booking. The Sorolla is the one most visitors miss and regret missing: the painter's house with the garden intact, 20 minutes from the Prado.
Where should you buy Madrid museum tickets?
For the three big museums, the official sites are cheapest and the default choice. Use GetYourGuide or Tiqets when: the museum is sold out on the official site, your dates might change (free cancellation), or you want a guided tour. A Prado tour with a guide (€45 on GYG, skip-the-line) covers Velázquez, Goya and Bosch in 2 hours better than most visitors manage alone in four.
If you're deciding which museums to prioritise first, see our Prado vs Reina Sofía comparison or the best art museums in Madrid. For the free-hours timing strategy, see free museums in Madrid 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to visit Madrid's main museums?
The Prado is €15, the Reina Sofía is €12, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza is €13 (full access including permanent + Carmen Thyssen + current temporary). The Royal Palace is €18. Visiting all three Paseo del Prado museums with single tickets costs €40; the Paseo del Arte card gives you one visit to each for €32.80.
Is the Paseo del Arte card worth it?
Only if you visit all three museums. It costs €32.80 and covers one entry to the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen within a year, saving €7.20 over single tickets. If you're doing only two, buy separately.
Where do I buy Madrid museum tickets online?
The official sites (museodelprado.es, museoreinasofia.es, museothyssen.org) sell direct tickets at face value. GetYourGuide and Tiqets resell the same tickets with free cancellation and skip-the-line slots when the museum sells out, useful in peak season or if your plans are flexible.
Do I need to book Madrid museum tickets in advance?
The Prado and Thyssen rarely sell out, so buying at the door works except in peak summer. The Reina Sofía is usually walk-in. Booking online still saves 25-40 minutes of queue at the ticket desk. In July-August and around Easter, book 1-2 days ahead.
Last verified: April 2026
- Prado
- €15 · museodelprado.es · Tiqets · GetYourGuide
- Reina Sofía
- €12 · museoreinasofia.es · GetYourGuide (free cancellation)
- Thyssen
- €13 · museothyssen.org · GetYourGuide (free cancellation)
- Royal Palace
- €18 · patrimonionacional.es
- Paseo del Arte card
- €32.80 · sold at any of the three museums