Art within Madrid is plentiful! Around every corner there is a new beautiful building, an art gallery or a small sculpture garden. That doesn’t even include the museums! Madrid is home to more than 40 museums including one of the greatest art museums in the world, the Prado.
The Prado has an incredible collection of art and the building itself is simply magnificent. It is Madrid’s largest museum. While much of the art in the museum is religious and includes depictions of nativity scenes or Jesus on the cross, it can still be enjoyed by all. Ben, who I mentioned in my last post, said the Prado was his favorite museum. “Even though I do not subscribe to Catholicism or Christianity, I liked the images and feelings invoked there” he said. He even said it was his favorite part of madrid overall. “I felt like it was a place where you could just wonder about doing your own thing, take your time and admire how interpretive or realistic the art is. Very relaxing,” he said.
I would elaborate on the art and history of the Prado, but I am by no means qualified to do so! If you would like to know more about the history of the museum and the collection, you can visit this website. For more information about opening hours and ticket prices, you can visit this website.
There are two other main, large art museums in Madrid: Museo Reina Sofia and El Thyssen. Both museums house more contemporary art than the Prado.
The Reina sofia museum is free to students, seniors and the unemployed. The museum is free and open to the public after 7 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Sunday the museum is free from 1:30 p.m.-7 p.m. To read more about their collection of art you can visit their website.
The Thyssen is one of the museums that does not offer free admission to students. They have a reduced ticket price, but if you want to visit for free, go to the museum from noon to 4 p.m. on Mondays. The museum is free and open to the public at these times. For more information about the permanent collection, temporary exhibits and history of the museum, please visit the museum website.
Madrid Gallery Weekend
While interning in Madrid this summer, I had the wonderful opportunity of working on press releases for Madrid Gallery Weekend and I learned all about the event. During the second weekend in September each year, Madrid turns into a huge art fair. Most museums become free to all patrons, galleries open their doors and art collectors from around the world come to take part in the event. The goal of the event is to bring the public closer to contemporary art. If you happen to be in Madrid during this time, it is an absolutely wonderful and no cost way to learn about and enjoy the art of the city. You can visit the website to learn more about the galleries that have participated in the past and how the even got started.
Little Wallet, Big Adventure 