Prado Museum ticket prices to rise

The Prado Museum announced today that admission as of Sunday 4th September will now cost 10€, up from 7€. However this new price includes entry to the temporary collections which are currently at extra charge or cost the same as the new price with a combinted ticket. The museum says the idea is to give the a much more diverse visitor experience.

Antonio López at the Thyssen Bornemsiza

Today (Tuesday 28th June) the Thyssen Museum will inaugurate its summer temporary exhibtion which is dedicated to the Spanish artist and sculptor Antonio López (1936-). López's style is often described as realist, yet his earlier works often have a more surreal air to them. Many of his paintings have a striking real-life quality to them, that it is difficult to tell whether it is a photograph or a painting. One such example is the incredible series of paintings he produced during the 1960's of Madrid, which includes a well known one of Gran Vía. López also produced the giant baby head sculptures which can be found at the entrance to Atocha station in Madrid. If you want to catch the exhibtion it will run until 25th September. Admission costs 10€ to the exhibition alone or 13€ when combined with entry to the full collection.

El Museo del Traje (Costume Museum)

A great idea for rainy days in Madrid! Not a lot of tourists come here, but we certainly recommend a trip to the Museo del Traje located next to university campus. The museum tells the story of western fashion from the middle ages right up to the present day, and there are a couple of sections dedicated to traditional dress from the different regions of Spain. There are hundres of pieces on display, including creations from designers such Karl Lagerfeld, Balenciaga, Dior and Balmain. In addition to the main collection there is also a free temporary exhibition. Admission to the museum is only 3€- a very cheap visit, and seniors and under 18s can get in for free. It's also free for all on Saturdays after 14.30. The museum is open Tues-Sat 9.30-19.00 and Sunday 10.00-15.00.Closed on Mondays. You could also combine a visit with the Museo de America (Americas Museum), located about a five minute walk away, dedicated to the history of Latin America and has a fascinating collection of pre-columbian artefacts on display.

Location: Avda Juan de Herrera 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid. Metro Ciudad Universitaria (L6), or it's a ten minute walk through parkland from Moncloa metro (L3, L6).

Summer exhibitions at the Reina Sofia Museum

Temporary exhibitions at the Reina Sofia Museum this summer. To find out more about an exhibition, click the links. Entry to the temporay exhibitions costs 3€ and with the ticket, you can visit as many as you want.

James Castle. Show and Store.

From: May 18 - September 5, 2011
At: Sabatini Building (main building), floor 3

Yayoi Kusama (no info found)

From: May 11 - September 12, 2011
At: Sabatini Building (main building), floor 1

Leon Golub

From: May 6 - September 12, 2011
At: Palacio de Velázquez (in Retiro Park)

A Hard, Merciless Light.
The Worker-Photography Movement, 1926-1939

From: April 6 - August 22  

At: Sabatini Building (main building), Floor 3

Roberto Jacoby, Desire rises from Collapse

From: February 25 - May 30
At: Sabatini Building, Espacio Uno (main building), Sala Bóvedas and Sala de Protocolo

Efrén Álvarez. Económicos

From: February 2 - May 30
At: Nouvel Building (main building), Mezzanine 2

Get free entry to Madrid's museums with your metro ticket!

During May, metro users can gain free entry into a number of Madrid's museums just by showing their metro ticket or pass in an initiative known as Ruta de los Museos. The museums and days they can be visited for free with the ticket are as follows:

Real Jardín Botánico (the Royal Botanical Gardens- 9, 16, 23, 30 May)
Museo del Ferrocarril (railway museum- 7, 8 May)
CosmoCaixa ehibition space (30 April, 1, 2 May)
Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (National Museum of Science and Technology- 28, 29 May)
Museo de Antropología (anthropology museum 21, 22 May)
Museo Geominero (geology museum- 14th, 15th May)
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (National Museum of Natural Sciences- 6, 13, 20 27 May)

 If you're up for a challenge and hoping to visit several museums, you can get hold of a museum passport (download or pick up one in the nearest metro stations to the museums), which is a quiz with prizes at the end. Passport holders can also get free gifts from some of the museums.

Cultural activities for Semana Santa

The Madrid region has an great programme of cultural events taking place over Easter week. Here are a few picks:

The Centro de Exposiciones Arte Canal (Paseo de la Castellana, 214), has an exposion dedicated to the period of Alexander the Great with over 330 artefacts from 40 different museums across Europe on display. Visitors can also enjoy a 3D video projection.  Runs until 3rd May. Metro Plaza de Castilla (L1, L9, L10). Free admission.

The Comunidad de Madrid gallery at Calle Alcalá 31, is showing works by the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare; his first exhbition in Spain. The collection includes 22 of his works in various media such as collage, sculpture and video. Runs until 24th April. Metro Sevilla (L2) or Sol (L1, L2, L3). Free admission.

It's normally closed, but the Lope de Vega birthhouse (la Casa Museo Lope de Vega) at Calle Cervantes 11, will open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday or Easter week, from 10:00 until 15:00 horas (you need to reserve either by calling 91 429 92 16 or emailing casamuseolopedevega@madrid.org).

  

Winston Churchill: Walking With Destiny is a remarkable exhibition looking at the life and work of the British prime minister, and in particular his relationship and interest in Spain. It features photographs, documents and personal objects; many on show on continental Europe for the first time. Not to be missed to get an insight into perhaps the most influential figure of the 20th century, and one of the greatest shapers of history. Runs until 5th June at the Sala El Águila, Calle Ramirez de Prado 3, metro Delicias (L3).

The Young Ribera: a new exhibition at the Prado

Starts 5th April at the Prado. José de Ribera, (born 1591 in Valencia) is one of the greats of tenebrism, a movement which uses shadows and contrasts of light in paintings. He spent most of his years in Rome and Naples, where he became inspired by Caravaggio's works and studied naturalism. This exhibition features works from his early days, a period of time where his styles changed as he experimented with different methods. Although a number of his works are already on show at the Prado, the pieces on display come from a variety of art collections from around the world. You can see the exhibition until 31st July.

Admission to the exhibition costs 10€ or 5€ at reduced rate and includes entrance to all temporary exhibitions. A combined ticket for both the temporary and permanent collections costs 12€. To see more info about this exhibition, here's a link to the page on the Prado Museum website. 


We also found this article from the El País section in English about this exhibition. It's worth a read.

What's on at the Thyssen Museum:

Here is the spring programme of temporary exhibitions on at the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum:

Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904)  Some of the French sculpture's best works will be on display. Co-organised by the Musée d'Orsay Paris and the J.Paul Getty Museum. (Until 22nd May)

Heroines This exhibition looks at the role of women in active roles depicted in Western art from the renaissance period up to the present day. The exhibition features works from Rubens, Goya and Caravaggio. (From 8th March- 5th June)


Entrance: 7€

Address: Paseo del Prado 8 (Metro: Sevilla, Banco de España or Atocha)

More details about the exhibitions

Chardin (1699-1779) at the Prado Museum

18th century French painter Chardin is considered one of the masters of still life painting, and 57 of his best loved works will be on display at a temporary exhibition at the Prado Museum from 1st March. This is the first ever exhibition dedicated to the artist in Spain, with the pieces loaned from prestigious art collections such as the Louvre and the National Gallery London. Works on show include The Ray, The Young School Teacher, and Two Rabbits. Entrance to the exhibition costs 10€ or 5€ at reduced rate. Runs until 29th May. For the exhibition website, click here.

Spring Exhibitions 2011 at the Reina Sofía

The Reina Sofía Museum has an exciting programme of  temporary exhibitions for this spring and we decided to include their details on here. They are as follows:

Asier Mendizabal Until May 2
Efrén Álvarez. Económicos Until May 30
Dorit Margreiter: Description Until April 25
Atlas. How to carry the world on one’s back? Until March 28, 2011
Jessica Stockholder. Peer Out to See Until May 2, 2011 (Palacio de Cristal, Retiro Park)

Miroslaw Balka. ctrl Until April 25, 2011 (Abadía de Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos) and Sala de Bóvedas, Museo Reina Sofía)
Jean-Luc Mylayne Until March 27, 2011 (Palacio de Velázquez, Retiro Park)

Coming soon:

Harsh light, without compassion. The Worker-Photography Movement, 1926-1939

Runs April 6 - August 22
Entrance to the exhibitions costs 3€ and covers all temporary exhibits. For more information about the Reina Sofía, here's the museum website

 

Exhibitions at The Prado Museum for 2011

There Prado Museum has just announced its exhibitions for the coming year. They are as follows:

1st March- 29th May Chardin (1699-1779)
5th April- 31st July The Young Ribera
5th May- 31st July New Acquisitions 1996-2010
8th November- 26th March 2012 Treaures from the Hermitage


Also some of The Prado's collection will be on display at The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg this spring as part of an exchange of artworks.


You can find out more about the exhibitions on The Prado Museum's website. Of course as these exhibitions approach, we'll include more information about them on here.

Last chance to see Passion for Renoir at The Prado

This week the Passion for Renoir exhibition at The Prado Museum will be coming to an end. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see some of his most famous works on show in the Spanish capital, which normally can only been seen at the Clark Institute in Massachusetts. The exhibition has proved so popular that the museum decided to extend its running period.

The exhibtion closes on Sunday 13th February.

Where: The Museo del Prado, Paseo del Prado. Metro Atocha (L1) or Banco de España (L2).

Click here to go to the exhibition website.

The Prado Museum and The Hermitage announce an exchange of artworks

Two of the world's greatest art museums, The Prado and The Hermitage in St. Petersburg have announced today that they plan to exchange some parts of their collections to create an exhibtion.  The first exhibition The Prado in the Hermitage will take place in at the St Petersburg gallery from February 25th- 29th May, and will feature works in the Prado's collection from masters such as Goya, Velázquez, Ruben and Tiziano.  In exchange, The Prado will host The Treasures of The Hermitage from 8th November- 26th March 2012.

Make a virtual visit to the Reina Sofia or the Thyssen Bornemisza!

It's no substitute for a real visit, but Google have launched a very ingenious website, known as GoogleArtProject, where you can make an online visit to some of the world's top art galleries, including the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen Bornemisza museums in Madrid. Not every piece of artwork is online, but you can view some of the best known works in their collections. In the Thyssen section, we were able to view works by Cézanne, Rubins, Van Gough, Monet, Renoir and Caravaggio, however the Reina Sofia section is still rather small. Fingers crossed more works will be added, and hopefully we'll see the addition of the Prado Museum some time soon.

The Reina Sofia Museum

The Reina Sofia is Spain’s national museum of modern art and home of Picasso’s Guernica. Housed in a former palace and a mere 5 minute walk from the Prado Museum, you will find here masterpieces by both Spanish and foreign artists such as Dali, Miro, Tàpies, Ernst, Bacon and Van Gogh. Usually there are a number of temporary exhibitions in addition to the main collection at addition entry charge. Even on its busiest days, the Reina Sofia still feels light and spacious. The building has a delightful courtyard garden, which makes a pleasant place for a quick break. We also recommned the views from its very stylish glass exterior elevators. Free entry Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday, but it can get very crowded.

Web: www.museoreinasofia.es (details of temporary exhibits here)
Address: Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, s/n. Madrid, Metro Atocha (L1).
Open: Monday to Saturday: from 10:00 to 21:00; Sunday: 10:00 to 14:30.
Closed: Tuesdays; Jan. 1 and 6, May 1 and 15, Sept. 9, Dec. 24, 25 and 31
Entrance: General admission 6€, although some discounts may apply. Temporary exhibition entry: 3€. Free entry after 19.00 on weekdays, after 2.30pm on Saturdays, all day Sunday and on some public holidays.

The Prado Museum- a Madrid must!

It goes without saying that you cannot come to Madrid without a visit to the Prado Museum. Founded in 1819 and considered one of the great art museums of the world, it is certainly Madrid’s biggest attraction. The unique collection of classical art contains more than 8000 paintings by masters both Spanish and foreign including Goya, Rubens, Botticelli, El Greco and Velázquez as well as hundreds of sculptures, prints and drawings. There are also temporary exhibitions in addition to the main collection. You can buy advanced tickets on the website to beat the queues, which might be a good time saver on weekends. As there is a lot to see, we recommend making a couple of visits as trying to see it all in one visit can be a challenge.

The Prado Museum

Web: www.museodelprado.es (you can find out about temporary exhibits here)
Address: Paseo del Prado, Metro: Atocha (L1) or Banco de España (L2)
Opening times: 9:00 to 20:00: Tuesday to Sunday. Public holidays, 24 December, 31 December 9.00-14.00.
Closed: Mondays (including Mondays which are public holidays), 25 December, 1 January, Good Friday and 1 May.
Entrance: General entry 14€, although some discounts apply. Entrance to the temporary exhibitions are at an extra cost. Entry is free after 18.00 Tues-Sat, after 17.00 on Sundays and on a number of public holidays.


Free for students between 18 and 25 years ol  Monday to Saturda from 10 am to 8 pm. Sundays and holidays until 7 pm. Free for children under 18.

Prado Museum Christmas opening times

If you're planning a visit to the Prado Museum over the festive period, check the opening times. 

Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and 6th January: open from 9am-2pm

Christmas Day and New Year's Day: closed all day

All other days the museum is open as normal

Museo ABC- Madrid's newest museum

Inaugurated on 17th November, the Museo ABC is a new museum dedicated to drawing and illustation house in an old brewery. After a long period of refurbishment, it has six floors and houses over 20,000 pieces of work by 1500 artists, although only around 300 will be on show in an exhibtion known as The Tip of the Iceberg. We've been told that from the top of the building, excellent views of Madrid can be seen and the restored building itself is worth a visit. The museum is at 29-31 Calle Amaniel (metro Noviaciado). You can visit their website here

Museo ABC Madrid- the city's newest museum

Impressionists Gardens Exhibition (Jardines Impresionistas)

The Fundación Caja Madrid and the Thyssen Museum are running conjunctly a new exhibition featuring paintings of gardens by famous impressionists such as De La Croix, Munch and Klimt. Many of the works date from the mid nineteenth century, the time when new and exciting species of plants and flowers were being introduced to European and American gardens, which we can see in these paintings. The exhibition opens on 16th November and runs until 13th February. Lovers of impressionist art will also not want to miss the Renoir exhibition currently on at the Prado museum.

Address: Fundación Caja Madrid, Plaza San Martin 1, (Metro Sol or Opera) and Thyssen Museum, Paseo del Prado 8 (Metro Atocha/Banco de España).

Prado Museum- free entry on Friday 19th

Are you looking for tourist information, opening times etc... about the Prado? See our post about the Prado Museum here with all the info!

This Friday the Prado Museum will have free entry all day in honour of its 191st birthday. This also includes entrance to the temporary exhibitions which are usually at an additional cost.  There are also a number of activities taking place throughout the day as part of the celebrations. For more details about these, see the activites seciton of their website (in Spanish).

 

The Prado Museum