Prado Museum Passed 3.5 Million Visitors for the First Time in 2025, and Its Last Two Hours Are Still Free
The Prado had its best year ever in 2025. The museum in Madrid counted 3,513,402 visitors, the first time it has gone past 3.5 million, and over 3.6 million counting the shows it sent to Palma and Barcelona. That's Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Titian, Rubens and Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights pulling a bigger crowd than ever.
A general ticket costs €15, or €7.50 reduced. An audio guide is €5 more. The museum opens Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00, and Sundays and holidays from 10:00 to 19:00.
The Prado's great central gallery, looking down its length under the arched skylight. Big canvases in gold frames on either side, people strolling the middle, a family sitting on a bench looking at a painting. This hall is one of the reasons the visit takes longer than you planned.
Free entry, every day
The Prado gives away its last two hours. From 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday, and 17:00 to 19:00 on Sundays and holidays, the permanent collection is free, and temporary exhibitions are half price. This Monday, October 12, Spain's national day, entry is also free from 14:00 to 19:00.
The catch is the queue. Expect a line before the free hours start. It moves quickly once they do. Two hours is enough for the highlights if you go in with a plan: Las Meninas, Goya's black paintings, the Bosch. It isn't enough for the whole collection. Nothing is.
Is the €15 ticket worth it?
Yes, if you want a quiet morning. The galleries are calmest at opening, and you can take your time. Book online to skip the ticket desk.
The Prado is one point of Madrid's "Golden Triangle" of art. The Reina Sofía, home to Picasso's Guernica, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza are both within a short walk, and both have their own free hours too. Madrid also charges no tourist tax. For a city break built around paintings, it's hard to beat.
Eat first. There's no picnic inside, and you'll be on your feet longer than you think.