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What are Prado Museum hours?

Today

Open 10:00–20:00

Last Admission

19:30

Best time to visit the Prado Museum

Weekday vs Weekend

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Prado Museum is one of the most visited art museums in the world. It's a very popular tourist destination in all of Europe. The best time to visit Prado Museum is during weekdays when it opens at 10 AM. This will help you beat the crowd. 

Another good time slot to plan your visit is between 2 PM and 4 PM. If you wish to visit the Prado Museum for free, you can choose Monday to Saturday between 6 PM to 8 PM and Sundays and public holidays between 5 PM to 7 PM. However, you should expect large crowds during the free hours.

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Pleasant
Crowded
Very Crowded
Closed
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Best time to visit the Prado Museum

Weekday vs weekend 

The Prado Museum is one of Madrid’s most sought-after attractions, and for good reason. After all, very few places can boast such an impressive collection of European art. This popularity also makes it incredibly busy, especially during the peak season. Weekends are the busiest, making weekdays the best time to visit. Weekday mornings are even better—fewer crowds, more calm.

Peak season vs low season 

The shoulder seasons of spring (March to May/June) and autumn (September to November) are the best times to visit the Prado Museum. These periods offer pleasant weather with comfortable temperatures around 20–22°C (68–72°F), plenty of sunshine, and sometimes mild rains. This makes it ideal for sightseeing and visiting museums.

What are the Prado Museum hours?

  • Monday to Saturday: 10am to 8pm 
  • Sundays & holidays: 10am to 7pm
  • Limited hours: January 6, December 24, and 31, from 10am to 2pm
  • The museum remains closed on January 1, May 1, and December 25. 
  • Free access: Monday through Saturday between 6pm and 8pm, and Sundays and holidays between 5pm and 7pm.

How long do you need to spend at the Prado Museum?

How long you spend at the Prado Museum will depend on what kind of visitor you are.

  • The casual tourist: You can spend about 2-3 hours exploring some of the museum’s most notable highlights across all three levels. Some include the Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, and Saturn Devouring His Son by Francisco de Goya, among others. 
  • One with an eye for art: If you’re someone who’s always looking for beauty around them, you can easily spend 4-5 hours at the museum. This will give you the bandwidth to dive deeper into some of the museum’s more underrated works. 
  • The art connoisseur-cum-history nerd: If you breathe art and history, or always find yourself lost learning about the history of the world, you’d find yourself at a loss for time. You can easily spend as long as you like within the museum’s opening hours, or maybe even come back a second day. 

Pro tip: If you identify with the third persona, you can even buy yourself the {experience type="POPUP" id="7987" text="Paseo del Arte 3 Museum Pass"}, which gives you access to the three museums in the Madrid Triangle of Art—the Prado, Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza.

Frequently asked questions about the Prado Museum hours

The Prado Museum is usually open from 10am to 8pm, Monday through Saturday, and 10am to 7pm on Sundays and holidays. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing, —but give yourself more time if you want to soak in the art without rushing.