Reina Sofía Museum Tickets Madrid

The Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid

The Reina Sofia occupies the former San Carlos General Hospital, an 18th-century building by Francisco Sabatini, which was converted into a museum in the 1980s and given a striking glass extension by Jean Nouvel in 2005. The exterior glass lifts are now among the most photographed features of the building.

People who search for Reina Sofia Museum tickets usually want to see Guernica, but the museum is far more than one painting. Your ticket covers the permanent collection and the temporary exhibitions in the main building, and most visitors spend two to three hours inside.

Picasso's Guernica

Guernica, painted in 1937 in response to the bombing of the Basque town, is displayed in its own room on the second floor. Its scale and black, white and grey palette make a lasting impression, and nearby you can see Picasso's preparatory sketches that show how the composition evolved.

The room can be crowded, so the best time to visit the Reina Sofia for a quieter view is early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Photography of Guernica is not allowed, so take a moment simply to stand and look.

Dali, Miro and 20th-Century Spanish Art

Around Guernica, the collection follows Spanish art through the Civil War, the avant-garde and the decades that followed. Salvador Dali's surrealist canvases, Joan Miro's bright shapes and colours and works by Julio Gonzalez, Antoni Tapies and Luis Bunuel's film world all appear in the galleries.

The museum is organised to show how artists responded to political and social change, so the story is as interesting as the paintings. Film, photography, sound and dance sit beside traditional media, which makes the visit lively for visitors of all ages.

Planning Your Reina Sofia Visit and How to Get There

Opening hours change by season, and the museum is closed on Tuesdays and on a few public holidays. Small bags are allowed, while larger ones must be left at the cloakroom, and food and drinks are not permitted in the galleries. The audio guide is not included, but you can rent one inside if you wish.

To get to the Reina Sofia Museum, take the metro or the train to Atocha, which is a few minutes away on foot, or walk from the Prado Museum along the Paseo del Prado. It is easy to combine both museums on a single art-focused day in Madrid.