Great museum, can bring water in, no photos allowed, confusing directions to taxi stand…read more The most popular painting by far was the Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch. The only painting that was hard to see due to the crowds! Consider bringing small handheld binoculars or field glasses to better see the Bosch and for some large paintings. People drank from their water bottles in the hallways. Appreciated that we could stand within about a meter (three feet) of each painting and sculpture! We felt that the people of Spain trusted us with their heritage. People behaved well and returned the trust. There is a lesson there.

This is the main Spanish national art museum focusing on 12th to the early 20th century art pieces…read more It makes up the main piece of the golden triangle of art in Madrid. It is a massively large museum housing almost 40,000 peices of art, not limited to paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, and decorative art pieces. Buy your tickets online so you don't have to stand in the queue for hours to buy your ticket, just to stand in line to get into the museum. If your into this stuff great. There is so much to see. A website describes it as "an exhaustive" amount of things to see. And I definitely agree with that assessment. There is just so much to see. They provide you with a map at the entrance, but it lacks so much detail that its basically useless. Yea the portrait paintings and the sculptures are all amazing. The intricate details that went into each work of art. But theres just so much to see that its overwhelming. Also theres so many people here, that your basically bumping people and going around people to get a better view of the art. They only allow you to take pictures in certain areas. And when they say certain areas, its basically a small portion of the museum. So many rooms had strict no photography rules. And the people working there are very strict about not taking photos. According to google searches it says taking selfies with certain famous artwork can create bottlenecks. But no photographs at all? So you want me to stand there and really take it in with my eyes and memorize it and enjoy it, instead of clicking a picture and moving on, so as to enjoy it later. Doesn't really make sense. After 2 hours here it became not enjoyable anymore. And we spent a good 30 min going up and down stairs and asking people there how to get the heck out of there. It was a slog. If there were zombies chasing us in here we would definitely die. Every room we entered trying to get out was a completely new room. Took us forever to get back to the main area with the gift shop. Its just way too much. Oh and dont even get me started on the gift shop. Everything is priced so exorbitant. 34 pounds for a bag? Really? I just walked out. Evidently the last 2 hours before closing is free? The line to get in must have been in the hundreds and basically stretched forever. Its just crazy. Call me uncultured. Call me a barbarian. But I did not enjoy myself here at all. I learned several things by being here. That im not coming back to this museum again. That people back then liked portraying men with micro penises. And that all the kings and queens back in the day were basically all related to each other in one way or another. Glad to say I've been here. But thats about it. Oh and it was super hot and stuffy in here. Like turn the ac on!!!

We enjoyed our visit! Good to be able to take photos. Favorites: an exhibition of Spanish…read moreRepublican posters, a large Felix Gonzalez-Torres exhibit with unlimited candy (!) and a serious theme of HIV, and an exhibition of woven fabrics and textiles by Aurèlia Muñoz. Their most famous painting is Guernica but I personally did not find it that moving. We enjoyed the photos of sketches showing how Guernica evolved while it was being painted

If you're into 20th century art, pop by this famous art museum. Near many other sites in Madrid,…read morethis museum is big. It's 3-4 floors of exhibits with art from some famous artists like Picasso. On a Friday afternoon in September, I walked in, paid 12 Euros, and explored for 1.5 hours. The museum is easy to navigate with signs everywhere, elevators and stairs taking you up and down. Don't miss the courtyard in the middle. There are benches and more art there.

Of the three museums that make up Madrid's Golden Triangle of Art, this is the one people tend to…read moreforget. Indeed this was the third big museum Jamie W and I visited since we didn't have enough time until our 4th day in Madrid. The museum's unpronounceable name doesn't help much. It also houses a broad collection of art that isn't as easy to categorize as the Prado (classical Spanish masters) and the Reina Sofía (contemporary 20th-century art). The museum spans eight centuries of Western art across four floors from 13th-century medieval works on the top floor to 20th-century pop art at the bottom. Richard Estes' Telephone Booths (Photo 8) and Charles Bell's Thunder Smash (Photo 9) are personal favorites of mine. In between are works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, German Expressionism, and Early Avant-Garde movements. The most familiar paintings are on the middle and main floors where works by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dalí, Degas, Manet and Hopper are spotlighted. Unlike the other two museums, this one started as a private collection amassed by two generations of one wealthy Hungarian-German family, which explains why it covers multiple genres not covered by the other two. Admission is 14€ or alternatively 32,8€ for the entire Golden Triangle of Art. RELATED - Exploring Madrid? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/P0_zGgWaQT

After visiting the Guernica museum (Reina Sofia), I made my way to Thyssen and thoroughly enjoyed…read moremyself. They cost roughly the same for entry but, I don't know, I felt like Thyssen was more my vibe. Super chill, a beautiful building filled with beautiful things. O'Keefe, Toulouse, Lichtenstein, Rothko - our friends are all here. Of the three museums in this literary Huertas 'hood, I highly recommend time at the Thyssen.

The palace is absolutely beautiful, but it's currently fully under construction. You aren't able to…read moreenter and there's a lot of scaffolding blocking the beautiful views of the large glass windows.

I walked here from the Museo Nacional del Prado on nice warm summer day. While it was a nice…read morestroll, it was long and it got hot! So, upon arrival to this crystal palace, we were already hot and when entering, it was even hotter! To be honest, was it worth the long walk? Probably not, but if your sole activity of the day is to just explore El Retiro Park, then definitely make your way here to enjoy it's beauty.

I love history and museums. However, I am not a huge fan of prehistory. I can't get fully onboard…read morewith the objectivity of such subjective items. Nevertheless, this was a good experience and our tour guide made it even better. The museum is packed with objects, most of which are authentic and not replicas. There are even some objects that are on display that are known fakes. There story behind them and how the museum acquired such objects is interesting. The best part was the digital display that overlays a topographical map of the Iberian peninsula. It tells the story of the Iberian migration of peoples over the centuries. Overall, not a bad museum, kind of boring in some areas but still a good experience.

One of the finest archeology museums anywhere. Every artificact here is from the Iberian…read morepenninsula or excavated by Spanish Archeologists. Good explanations from either physical or cultural anthropology, very up to date information on the evolution of humans. The descriptions and explanations are truly excellent. If you start downstairs you can work your way up in time from milliions of years ago to early modernity. Check for free concerts and lectures, I saw an interesting and talented saxophone quartet in the evening.

I wouldn't call this museum a must see, but it is an excellent history museum with some fabulous…read moreart. The history of Madrid is largely told by art, but also maps, sketches models, artifacts, and eventually at the top, photographs. The history ends at industrialization, maybe because that's all they had room for. The grounds and entrance are picturesque. We went on a free day, but it's worth the regular admission. One to two hours, you could easily visit here and the nearby Romantic Museum in an afternoon. A good choice for after the three days of the Golden Triangle of big Madrid art museums. The neighborhood has lots of cafes, pastry shops, affordable dining, bookstores, and Michalin star restaurants so maybe make an afternoon and evening of the Chambri area. If you are staying nearby I think this is a must see stop. Very close to Hotel Sardinero and the Tribunal Metro stop.

Inside the 17th century building of an old orphanage, the Madrid History Museum is free for all…read more Walk inside and staff will direct you where to start. Over the course of three floors, the permanent collection gives a good history of the city of Madrid from the 16th century on. One fascinating exhibit is the map of Madrid from the 1500s on and how it grew from a small villa to a large capital. There are clean restrooms, places to sit, and a good gift shop.

This is one of the coolest museums I've ever been in. You're transported back in time, and I am…read moreobsessed with all the clocks, settees, and poufs all over. The colors. The colors!!!!!! I need an emerald green couch now STAT. I'm obsessed. There's no other word for it. My colleague told me to go here and I'm soooo glad she did or I'd have missed out on seeing all this amazing furniture. You think you're on a Bridgerton set, I swear. It's a smaller museum and takes about an hour, if was only a 3€ admission too, and it's so so so worth it! Go go go go go!

Pleasant little museum worth an hour visit in a historic restored house on beautiful grounds…read more Paintings and artifats from late Rennaisance to Victorian Age, its focus is on the Romantic Period, hence the name. It's much easier than the Golden Triangle of Madrid art museums, so it's good on an afternoon jaunt into the Chambri area where you'll find the Madrid history museum right nearby, the Mercado Barcelo and other shops, cafes, restaurants so you can make a whole afternoon of it. Not too from here are the Sorollo museum, the Real Madrid stadium, and a few (!) Michelin star restaurants. This museum is right off the Tribunal metro stop. If you're staying nearby, like at Hotel Saldinero, well then you really should stop by and take a gander. Don't miss the big doll house with the tiny dancer holograms.

The view here is amazing. We had awesome food and drinks but being able to really take in the city…read morewas one of the best parts! Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Gambas French toast Cocktail

Though I'm not a native Spaniard, I studied abroad here and visited too- this is one of the best…read morerooftop views in the city! Unless you make a dinner reservation (only way to get food too), tickets are 5 euro to enter the bar and you might wait around 10 min in line to enter. While cocktails are expensive by European standards at 10 euro, tinto de verano (a classic) isn't terrible at 5 euro. Even without drinks, definitely worth it just for the view! Sunsets are amazing. On a chilly evening, they have heaters over some of the lounge chairs. I'd highly recommend to get a great view of the city!

This is a landmark in central Madrid. It is an actual Egyptian temple that was moved to Spain when…read moreflooding from building the Aswan Dam was going to destroy many archaeological sites. It is surrounded by a beautiful park, easily accessible by public transportation.

Sunset at Temple De Bod is a daily celebration of life. As the sun's last rays cast down on the…read morecity, throngs of people do a pilgrimage to view the splendor.

Nice design museum…read more Small so very quick visit. Free so right price for a cool museum