The last time Jamie W and I vacationed in Madrid over 15 years ago, we made the big mistake of trying to squeeze this museum and the Prado into the same afternoon. We had to race through the Reina Sofia without allowing the requisite time to appreciate the masterworks constantly hidden by the crowds. We didn't make the same mistake last week and decided to focus a full afternoon here. There was no avoiding the long line that snaked around the plaza even though we bought the 32,8€ Paseo del Arte passes which covers all three of Madrid's essential museums. We still had to redeem our passes to get our museum tickets. It only took about 25 minutes before we made the beeline to the museum's spotlight masterwork, Picasso's "Guernica" on the second floor. Viewing was packed and unmovable, but it's still the definitive visualization of the horrors of war made striking by the monochromatic palette (Video 1). The building was once an 18th-century hospital before it became an art museum as recently as 1988. It houses Spain's most significant collection of 20th-century art. Along with Picasso, other contemporary masters are also on display here. Artists represented include Salvador Dali (Photos 3 & 5), Joan Miro (Photo 2), and Rene Magritte (Photo 7). Up on the third floor is even more contemporary art dating back only to 1975 including works by Andy Warhol (Photo 6) and Robert Mapplethorpe (Photo 4). This was our favorite of Madrid's Golden Triangle which includes the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Definitely take your time perusing. RELATED - Exploring Madrid? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qwUK6nAE-z read more

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I was very excited for my visit here as I wanted to see a Picasso piece in person, as well as take in some more modern contemporary art. They had great pieces and I enjoyed my time. The staff were friendly and helpful with my questions and the museum was clean. I was disappointed to find that both the garden and third floor were closed the day I visited, so I felt like I missed out on some things. read more

If I could tell you one thing it would be that this place is interesting but it is only filled with modern art. Personally, I love art but I am not a fan of modern art. What made this experience for us truly an experience was our tour guide. JJ was simply amazing! He has a passion like no other for art and was able to immerse us into a world of modern art through stories and insights. If it wasn't for him and how he made the paintings connect to us, this would not have been a great experience. Art is not everyone's cup of tea, so just know what you're getting into. read more

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Really great time exploring this museum! There were lots of different exhibits to see and I learned so much. I appreciated that there were also places to sit and rest or just take in the art. The museum was very easy to get to, and the day I went ended up being free entry, so that was a nice treat. read more

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The Reina Sofía is huuuuge. If you're pressed for time or like me and just want to get to the good stuff, the main highlights are 1) Guernica by Pablo Picasso 2) The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dalí. I love a good discount. I'd recommend visiting during the museum's free admission hours on Monday and Wed-Thur from 7-9 PM or Sundays from 12:30-2:30 PM. Otherwise, general admission is €12. If you're not an art history buff, I'd recommend brining in a quick cheat sheet (or use chatgpt while you're onsite) so you can better analyze and take in the details of each artwork. Note: the free hours pack a full house and will be more crowded than usual. Although you can book free tickets online in advance, I was able to get same-day tickets easily by walking up to the booth. read more

Such a beautiful collection of Picasso, Salvator Dali, and Joan Miró pieces... amongst several other talented artists ! I preferred this museum significantly over the Prado; it had much better organization and ease to find pieces. The Guernica in person was magnificent. It is a very large museum which you can spend at least 2-3 hours inside. If you are on a time crunch, the temporary contemporary exhibitions were pleasant as well but less a standout compared to the permanent collection. read more

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This is a gigantic museum and considered a must see by so many guide books thanks to the Guernica painting by Picasso. The last two hours of the museum's opening each day is free to visit. I'd suggest going during this time to see if there is anything that speaks to you that you want to revisit under a paid ticket when you have more time. The art during the Spanish Civil War is a highlight but there is SO MUCH modern and post modern "art" that wastes valuable museum space. I enjoyed seeing the exhibits that focused on Spanish art posters and advertising in addition to the famous Picasso paintings. Visited April 2025 read more

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Absolutely wonderful collection in a magnificent edifice. Guernica by Picasso is maybe the highlight but there's so much to see, it might take hours. Nice cafeteria for a break, located near the Prado but you shouldn't try to do both on the same day. read more

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía - Museums Near Me - Madrid, M

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Spain's most popular modern art museum, the Reina Sofía is best known as the home to Picasso's anti-war masterpiece, 'Guernica'. Created in Paris in 1937, the stunning black-and-white painting was the Spanish artist's response to the Franco-directed fire bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. Considered one of the most important pieces of art in Europe, the abstract work conveys the horror of war like no other painting could, with images of screaming horses, a woman cradling her dead child, a man crying to the sky in agony. The canvas takes up most of the length of the second-floor gallery where it resides, and will hit you like a gut punch the moment you walk in. If you're able to visit when the crowds are thin, take some time to walk the length of the canvas and take in the various images, which stare back at you like shards from a broken mirror. There are a handful of other Picasso works in the vast galleries of the Reina Sofía, along with works by Miró, Gris, and other Spanish giants of the modernist era. But I found the sprawling collection hard to navigate, and many of the galleries seemed to lack a common theme or focus. Our family kept coming back to 'Guernica', and found few other works in the museum that had anywhere near the same impact. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of modern or surrealist art, but I was hoping a visit here would do something to change that. The Reina Sofía is well worth the visit just to see 'Guernica' in the flesh, but I honestly found the rest of the collection a bit of a bore. read more

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The museum has several beautiful pieces, however, the experience is not as exceptional. Customer treatment at this museum is atrocious. 3 elderly Jewish women (1 of whom was a Holocaust survivor) were kicked out for refusing to hide their Jewish identity through Star of David necklaces etc because the items "offended" other visitors. Discrimination is not a good look. Won't be coming back period. read more

A world famous modern Art Museum that features collections of 20th century Spanish art. If you like art this has a nice display of Picasso Miro, Dali and more. Named for Queen Sofiia, this beautiful building is located in the heart of the city at the Southern area of the Golden Triangle near Paseo Del Prado. The most famous painting housed is Picassos Guernica. Painted in 1937, it's one of his best-known works and he was commissioned by the Spanish Republican government to create a large mural for the Spanish Worlds Fair. Picasso finished this masterpiece 3 weeks after German aircraft bombed the city of Guernica killing one third of the population. The piece is powerful and worth seeing. Don't miss the Miro or Dali exhibits. You can access a full map of the museum on your phone and don't let all the floors fool you. I like art, you can do the whole museum and see the best of the best in under 2 hours read more

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The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is a powerful celebration of 20th- and 21st-century art, housed within an evocative blend of historic and modern architecture--an 18th-century hospital (Sabatini building) now seamlessly integrated with Jean Nouvel's glass-and-steel extension. It's home to Spain's most iconic modern masterpiece, Picasso's Guernica, alongside major works by Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and a rich array of international artists. With its thematic layout rather than chronological display, the museum encourages curious exploration--visitors can lose themselves in following motifs of surrealism, cubism, resistance, and post-war reflection. The lobby and courtyards offer striking architectural contrasts--from warm brick vaults to sleek walkways--perfectly framing the emotional resonance of the artworks. Whether you're drawn by Guernica alone or enticed by rotating exhibitions spotlighting overlooked voices and fresh perspectives, the Reina Sofía delivers a profound, immersive experience of art, history, and cultural dialogue. read more

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía - Museums Near Me - Madrid, M

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Overall, I enjoyed this museum and it's definitely worth going just to see the Dali, Picasso and Miro works in the collection. There was a considerable line to get in, but it moved relatively quickly. It is home to Guernica, the famous painting by Picasso, done on a massive scale. Guernica was just flooded with visitors when we were there so there was no way to really get a good photo of the whole painting due to all the people standing in front of it, but we were able to get some angles of it from the sides and details of certain areas closer to the ceiling. The Dalis and Miros were less mobbed and we could appreciate them in a more relaxed way. I also really enjoyed that you can watch the entire film Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog) by Luis Buñuel and Dali. I really enjoy contemporary art, but mainly painting. I was rather disappointed with the 1st, 3rd and 4th floors of this museum which contained a lot of very abstract art. For example, on the first floor, there's a huge room of metal blocks. Upstairs there were rooms that I couldn't tell if it was an art installation or someone just left a bunch of benches in a room clustered together. There was one sculpture that looked like a pile of trash bags. I would recommend that if you are pressed for time and want to see other master works in Madrid that you completely skip the 3rd and 4th floors which contain works from relatively unknown artists that are super abstract installations and sculptures and concentrate on the Picasso exhibit and the Spanish painters like Dali and Miro on the 2nd floor. Don't miss the courtyard, which was a cool Miro sculpture. The restaurant here is also excellent (it's located in the basement aka floor 0). The museum shop was a bit disappointing with some Picasso and Dali merchandise, but the merchandise featured works that are in other museums such as the Thyssen, not this museum. read more

A great museum of Spanish art in Madrid. The two main buildings of the museum host excellent collections of Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and other Spanish artists that pioneered and significantly impacted modern visual arts. Piccaso's Guernica, Dali's the Great Masturbator, and a World by Angeles Santos are among the must-sees. The museum also displays a large number of contemporary artworks that are on par with those seen in other museums such as Tate in London. The museum had a strict rule prohibiting taking photos. I had to get a book from the bookstore to help me remember the artworks I had seen. read more

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We visited this museum specifically for Dali, Milo and Picasso but enjoyed all of it. Their most famous composition is Picasso's "Guernica." It was painted in 1937 and considered one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history. The museum is massive so plan to spend a few hours here. You can take photos on floors 1, 3 and 4...The 2nd floor it is not allowed. It was easy and convenient to buy our tickets online. Otherwise you will stand in a long entrance line. They are closed on Tuesdays and after 7pm entrance is free. read more

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Forget El Prado, this is my favorite art museum in Madrid. Their collection of modern art (including Picasso's Guernica) and an always tantalizing selection of rotating exhibits, the Reina Sofia is a world class museum that warrants a multiway visit. While I think that admission price is reasonable (11-13 euros), there are free entry hours in the evening but they tend to be rather crowded. I visited on a holiday (Constitution Day) but the museum was not overly crowded. PRO TIP: Head to the roof (4th floor) of the main building (Sabatini). There is a great public/event space up there where you can see wonderful views of the city and get a good sense of how well designed this museum is. All in all, the Reina Sofia is at the top of my list for spots to visit in Madrid. Regardless of whether you are staying for two days or six months, you will to want to miss the key piece of Spanish culture. read more

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One of the must-see when visiting Madrid, a city famous for museums. This is probably the second most popular museum as the Prado is the most famous. This museum is more modern art. As of right now it's only 12 euros to enter for a 1-day pass, not too expensive for seeing a huge collection of Picasso, Dali, Calder, and Miro. It's not the best laid out museum and they don't allow pictures on many floors.. Bathrooms are somewhat limited and not that clean. The best one is somewhat hidden on the fourth floor near area 433/432. They do have a bag check area which is convenient but it is also not that convenient because it requires a coin to operate. If you don't have a coin you should pick it up at the ticket booth before hand. The line to buy tickets was super short and you probably don't even need to buy in advance. read more

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Bought tickets online for April 28, 2025. Was unable to use because of the national power outage that shut down everything. Museum refused to give refund despite their policy of giving refunds for circumstances beyond user's control. A national power outage isn't an unforeseen circumstance beyond the user's control??? read more

Endlessly frustrating because it's very easy to miss parts due to not having a printed or digital map available that marks rooms clearly (unlike the Prado). Come for the major hits in the permanent collection: Picasso, Dali, Miro, Calder, Man Ray, etc. It was very cool to see the evolution of Guernica from early drafts. As for the rest - there's a lot that would prob be more interesting to Spanish audience vs. an international audience due to lack of context. As someone who is very into contemporary art, I was generally underwhelmed by the temporary collection so I would de prioritize depending on how much time you have. There was a cafe for beverages and snacks, and it ran out of water (????) which was not ideal during 100 degree weather. read more

The Museum has contemporary art located near Atocha Train Station, and it's part of the Golden Triangle of The Arts It has two entrances, the front with many steps to Plaza de Juan Goytisolo, next to the beautiful Hotel Mediodía. The one in the back don't have any stairs and does have an elevator. The building has 4 Floors with permanent and changing exhibitions. We concentrated on the Second Floor where the Picasso's Guernica is exhibited and the room is so crowded one has to be patient to be able to stand front line to see it. Dali, Miró, Buñuel, and many others are represented on this floor. The Museum is free to Senior Citizens(65 & older). We left through the front entrance to walk toward El Prado. And we found plenty of eateries next to the Museum to refresh and regain strength. read more

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I was in Madrid solo for 24 hours and this was the perfect solo activity--admiring art! The Reina Sofía houses many works by notable 20th century artists. The most famous Spanish artists from their collection are Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Picasso's arguably most famous painting, the Guernica is here and this was my main reason for coming. I was floored at how big this painting is, it takes up a whole wall! It was worth visiting just to see this. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to stay here for multiple hours, but it is something that you could easily do on your visit. The actual building used to be a hospital and when they renovated it they had some additions. The building itself resonated with art and history which I admired. I loved the courtyard of this museum with the well-groomed bushes and statues. I could have sat on one of the benches for hours, but I remembered I had a whole city to go explore. I highly recommend this museum if you are in the city! read more

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Me gusto este museo. Tienen piezas importantes y nos dejaron sacar fotos. Lo unico que no me gusto es que no venden el libro del museo con fotos de las obeas que se encuentran en el museo. read more

Absolute must when in Madrid. Buy online and it is 2€ cheaper per ticket. I also understand it is less crowded in the am, but just hearsay. Definitely get the audio tour, it's only a few euros. I suggest you start on the second floor to learn about the history of Spain. Once you make your way (still on floor 2) to Guernica you will be moved to tears. You may take photos while in the museum but NOT in the section of Guernica. I have to admit I am a little jealous of those who have snuck photos, but be aware they strictly monitory. I was a bit frustrated in how loud the Guernica area was. There are quiet signs and no one obeys them and even the museums workers could care less. It was highly annoying. If you bring a backpack or large bags you will need to check them in a locker. You'll need 1€ but you get it back when you retrieve your items. Water is permitted. Remember the audio guide is extremely well worth it!!!!! read more

Came to this museum to admire the Guernica... boy what a painting.... spend the extra bucks and grab the audio guide.... calculate to spend at least 30 minutes at that painting alone.... well worth it! This museum is large and has many rooms with many many different artists.... The building used to be a Hospital back in the days which made it that much more interesting... Don't miss a d enjoy read more

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This was my favorite museum within the trio of Thyssen, Prado & Reina Sofia. My disclaimer though is that I prefer Modern art, compared to traditional European art. First off, the museum is quite large, and has 2 parts to it. Where you enter, this giant black building that you get excited about, actually had nothing inside. Most of the art was in the side building, which I didn't even notice until I was inside the building! Apparently this older traditional building used to be a hospital in Madrid. So cool! I would say it was a little difficult navigating the museum though. Perhaps it was because several rooms were under construction, but I felt like we kept backtracking to find certain rooms, etc. Picasso and Dali art can be found here, which is really awesome. However, several of the rooms were frustratingly under construction when I visited. Although I saw some of their art, I felt a bit ripped off. I think I only saw 1/3 of what should have been available at the museum. However, the famous Guernica painting was on exhibit. You're not allowed to take pictures - but man that thing is massive!!!! It is quite a site to see, and a lot to take in. My husband absolutely loved it. I loved seeing the regular modern art too from today's times. I personally love seeing random objects brought to life! This museum did an excellent job showcasing everything. read more

Most famously the home of Picasso's Guernica, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía houses mainly 20th century art. In many ways the yin to Prado's yang one will find a concise collection of Dali, Miro and other Spanish masters swarmed by docents whose lone job is not education, but rather combating photographs. Arrive after 6pm with online tickets for free admission. read more

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Awesome museum. I know the Prato gets more attention, but I really enjoyed this. There are some interesting, more modern works. Of course Picasso pieces will be looked at most. But there are many nice pieces. read more

Lots of groovy modern works of art(1900 and beyond, I think) including the famous artists Picasso and Dali. I'm not a big art fan, but I think any average decent human would enjoy this museum. €10 ticket is well worth it for a couple hours of visually stimulating images of beauty and ugly, or a combination. Best of all, unlike the rest of Europe, Reina Sofia is open until 8PM! read more

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This contemporary art museum is so beautiful. It boasts an awesome glass entrance and lobby that was built as an addition to the more historic part inside. They have art by Picasso, Dali, Goya, El Greco, and many more famous artists. The art covering the walls is colorful, fascinating, and truly inspiring. I'd recommend leaving at least two hours to explore the different floors and exhibits and you can buy tickets online ahead of time or in person. There's some interactive films projected on the walls throughout the exhibits as well. I visited a few times while living in Madrid and hope to go back someday! read more

€8 plus €4.50 for audio guide is a deal for this much modern art. The Queen Sofia is a large museum and you can easily spend two or three hours. And that's if you move quickly! Despite a bunch of teenager schoolkids going through on a tour, the noise wasn't bad. Whatever they're doing to baffle sound was working well. Some areas of the museum are off limits to pictures, some areas not. I'd like to have been able to take a shot of the Guernica, but I was waved off by one of the proctors. Oh well. Picassos and the Dalis galore. And all very accessible! read more

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If you're interested in surrealism, cubism, abstract, appropriation art, etc. -- this is a great museum with an extensive collection from Salvador Dali, Oscar Dominguez, Picasso, Joan Miro, Manuel Angeles Ortiz. This is also home to Picasso's very famous Guernica. I've studied this painting in high school and it's even more astonishing in person. Another plus: photos are allowed inside. read more

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This museum is nothing like ive ever seen before Located in a glass building with a glass elevator traversing the floors Long white blank corridors with side entrances that open to different forms of art - oil paintings, moving images, videos with headphones and more The art can be grotesque cubist but all intwresting Free from 7-9pm on weekdays read more

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Free last two hours of the day. And you'll need those full two hours. I came late with only about an hour and didn't get through it all. The art here is very cool and an interesting mix of things. There are many restaurants and place to hang out before/after. If you want go the free route, just give yourself the time like I mentioned earlier, don't make the mistake that I did! If I ever get back to Madrid, I'm going to stop at this museum again. I liked the Reina Sofia much more than the Prado, personally. read more

Following up on our day at the Prado and the Thyssen museums, we headed to Reina Sofia to see La Guernica by Pablo Picasso. Ever since hearing about it and studying it in high school I've always wanted to see it in person. I never thought I would. Fast forward many years later and a plane flight to Spain, there I was looking at one of the most famous pieces of the 20th century. Picasso painted La Guernica after the Spanish city of Guernica was bombed during the Spanish Civil War. It's powerful, Cubist, quite large, and speaks volumes. You really do have to see it in all its glory to really appreciate it. It's grandiose. He personally made sure Guernica was relocated back to Spain after Franco's death and now it's home is in the Reina Sofia. The Reina Sofia houses mainly 20th century art and complements the Prado in what its collection lacks. There are mainly Spanish artists featured but you'll be able to find works from other notable artists like Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Pollock. The Paseo del arte pass was definitely worth the money to be able to check out all of these works with unlimited time available. The museum offers free entry Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7pm until 9pm. Saturday afternoons (from 2.30pm) and Sunday mornings (until 2.30pm). At other times it costs €6 to get in. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. read more

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía - Museums Near Me - Madrid, M

Gayle and I "accidentally" stumbled onto the Reina Sofia as we were walking back from the Atocha Train Station. It was early on a Monday evening and admission was free. The only catch was that backpacks aren't allowed inside and 1 Euro lockers are readily available. We headed straight for the Guernica, the Picasso masterpiece. It's an impressive work and I can see why the Guggenheim Museum in Basque Bilbao (near Guernica) wants it and has a place reserved for it. Around the painting were various Picasso sketches and preparations towards this piece and lots of surrounding information regarding the Spanish Civil War. There's other great works in this massive museum (e.g., Joan Miro, Dali, etc.), but after seeing Guernica, the rest is almost "commentary". That's not really fair of course, as the Reina Sofia shows off an exceptional collection of 20th Century Art. The other interesting thing I noticed here, at the El Greco Museum in Toledo, and other places in Spain is the architectural approach of adding a modern expansion and wrapping it around the old building. The original building of course was Madrid's first public hospital, as you might notice the iron-barred windows of the mentally ill ward (facing the courtyard). read more

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía - Museums Near Me - Madrid, M

I love this museum! But I must admit I'm biased because I love contemporary art. I recently went to check out the 4th floor and the museum was empty! If you like to enjoy a nice quiet space , I would recommend going right at 10am! I have never been here without crowds of people. But I must admit madrid is usually empty in August so that also helped. read more

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Out of the 3 big museums in Madrid, this by far was my favorite. It is huge with 5 floors of art. The way it's built is super confusing, we got super lost and ending up walking in circles. USE THE MAP!!! The Dali paintings was the highlight of my tour! read more

Very cool museum of 20th century art. Reina Sofia means Queen Sofia. I think the building was once a hospital. You can see works by Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. And the masterpiece is Picasso's painting Guernica. read more

This is an absolute must-see if you're in Madrid! With the overwhelming Picasso paintings, modern sculptures that'll have you scratching your head, pondering "the meaning," the beautiful outdoor garden equipped with a relaxing fountain AND the famous "GUERNICA" by Picasso. Absolutely breath-taking (even if you're "not into" art) although you can't get very close and it's quite impossible to take a picture of it without having random heads floating at the bottom. Good luck in trying to get people to move. This enormous painting, depicting interesting commentary of the Spanish War, is protected like crazy! It's a bit annoying (especially when you want a damn picture!?) but understandable. I loved this museum when I was studying in Spain, a summer I think of fondly. Gosh, I miss Spain-- be sure to see this wonderful museum! read more

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The architecture is spectacular. The art collection is world-class. I like that they show birth contemporary and historic works. The curation provides a really interesting context for both. My only recommendation when you go is to keep your ticket on your person because they will ask for it if you go between the old and the new buildings. The book store and library are excellent as well. The café is super expensive but gorgeously designed. I actually got my lunch for the neighborhood and came back to the museum. read more

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