Paseo del Arte – Home to the Best Art Museums in Madrid

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Madrid’s Paseo del Arte runs along the historic Paseo del Prado and brings together some of Spain’s most iconic museums and cultural spaces. Within just a short stroll, you can explore world-renowned institutions like the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, the Museo Reina Sofía, as well as CaixaForum and the Naval Museum. It’s not just an art lover’s paradise—it’s also one of the most symbolic and picturesque areas in all of Madrid.

Students can usually visit these places for free with a student ID. We recommend, however, that you always check the exact free visiting hours for students online! Alternatively, you can buy different subscriptions or “abonos“, which give visitors access to the top museums on the paseo any time of the year!

Would you like to discover more exhibitions, galleries & museums in Madrid? Then check out our guide to the top museums in Madrid and find out how you can Discover Madrid via walking tour, biking tour or bus tour!

1. The Prado Museum (Museo El Prado)

El Prado is regarded as one of the most important museums in Europe. The collection includes sculptures, drawings, and famous paintings from artists like Velazquez, Goya, and Bosch, just to name a few. Don´t miss the collection’s most famous painting, Velazquez’s “Las Meninas,” showing princess Margarita and her two “Maids” as well as the artist himself with paintbrush and palette in hand. What’s more, Prado has the largest and most valuable collection of Spanish paintings in the world.

Address: Calle Ruiz de Alarcón 23
Website: https://www.museodelprado.es

2. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Museo Thyssen)

Occupying a mansion from 1806, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum houses more than 800 paintings. Originally the private collection of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, its galleries span from the 13th century to the present day and feature works by world-renowned artists. Visitors can trace the evolution of Western art, from medieval religious iconography and Renaissance masters to Impressionism, Expressionism, and Pop Art.

Address: Paseo del Prado 8
Website: https://www.museothyssen.org/thyssen/home

3. The Reina Sofia (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía)

The Museo Reina Sofía is Spain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art and is internationally recognized for its groundbreaking collection. At its heart are works by two of Spain’s greatest masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. These collections include Picasso’s world-famous Guernica, one of the most powerful anti-war paintings in history. The museum also offers an extensive collection of 20th-century art, rotating exhibitions, workshops, and cultural activities.

Address: Calle de Santa Isabel 52
Website: https://www.museoreinasofia.es/

4. Caixa Forum

Caixa Forum is a vibrant cultural center housed in a former power station that once fueled Madrid’s growth. Redesigned by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the building itself is a masterpiece of urban renewal. Outside, you’ll find Madrid’s first vertical garden, rising over 20 meters high and featuring more than 15,000 plants from 250 species. Today, the center hosts an ever-changing program of art exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, poetry readings, and more.

Address: Paseo del Prado 36
Website: https://caixaforum.es/es/madrid

5. Museo Naval

The Museo Naval offers a fascinating journey through the history of one of the world’s most powerful naval forces. For centuries, the Spanish Armada played a leading role in exploration, trade, and warfare, producing legendary explorers, captains, and navigators. Inside the museum, visitors can admire treasures recovered from shipwrecks, detailed maps, historic uniforms, and intricate ship models.

Address: Paseo del Prado 5
Website: https://fundacionmuseonaval.com/

6. Honourable Mention: Art Madrid

Art Madrid is an annual contemporary art fair held at the Galería de Cristal in the Palacio de Cibeles – just off the Paseo del Prado. Bringing together leading national and international galleries, it showcases a vibrant mix of painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, and performance. The fair not only celebrates established names but also provides a platform for emerging artists, making it one of the city’s most dynamic and accessible art events.