The artistic offer of Madrid can be considered as one of the best in the world.

El Prado Museum, Thyssen and the Reina Sofía Modern Art Museum make up this cultural offer. You will discover works from all styles and by the best painters in history.This route, known as the "Paseo del Arte" or Art Walk, is unique in the world, and takes visitors on a path through paintings and sculptures, architecture and nature, in one of Madrid's most emblematic areas: the Paseo del Prado.

The route can easily be done on foot, and leads to three major art galleries in succession: the Prado Museum, the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofía Museum and Art Centre.

This first-rate location makes it possible to enjoy, within a few square metres, Velazquez's Meninas, Goya's Majas, Giovanna Tornabuoni by Ghirlandaio, as well as Les Vessenots en Auvers by Van Gogh and Picasso's Guernica, together with other masterpieces of world art.

One of the most traditional walks in Madrid is now in fact an "artistic triangle2, which offers visitors the chance to explore the history of art and to enjoy one of the finest parts of Madrid.

PRADO MUSEUM:
Considered by many as one of the best and most complete painting galleries in the world. It originated in the Royal collection of art accumulated by the Crown since the times of the Catholic Kings.
It holds almost 9.000 works, although only about 1.000 are exhibited due to limitations of space. To make up for this lack of space, the Museum organises temporary exhibitions to display works for which there is no room in the permanent exhibition.
The building was designed by the architect Juan de Villanueva in the late 18th century in Neo-classical style. Initially it was going to be the Natural Science Museum. But when José I Bonaparte came to power he decided to turn it into an Art Museum. It has been open to the public since 1819.
In the museum one can contemplate works by: Van der Weyden, Van Dyck, El Bosco, Durrer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Fra Angelico, Mantegna, Botticelli, Bronzino, Rafael, Tiziano, Tintoretto, , Murillo, Ribera, ... But do not miss the works of Velázquez (especially the picture "Las Meninas"), of Goya and of El Greco.

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THYSSEN - BORNEMISZA MUSEUM
The Museum is housed in the Palacio de Villahermosa, palace designed by Antonio López de Aguado in the early 20th century in Neo-classical style. Rafael Moneo was the architect in charge of its rehabilitation as a museum.
The works exhibited come from the private collection of Baron Thyssen, accumulated in the course of two generations of acquisitions turning it into one of the most important collections in the world.
The museum has 34 halls and around 800 works spanning from the primitive Italian and Flemish masters to the Western avant-garde tendencies. It is on three floors.
This Museum can be considered as a complement to the Prado, as it contains periods that are not well covered in the latter and also makes up for the lacking periods in the Reina Sofía permanent collection.
The Museum is also designed as a cultural centre where temporary exhibits, concerts, conferences... are also organised. In the summer there is a garden café open on the ground floor.

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CONTEMPORARY AND MODERN ART REINA SOFIA MUSEUM
The building was made during the reign of King Carlos III, designed by Sabatini as a hospital. In 1982 work begun on its conversion to a contemporary art museum. Opened to the public in 1986 with temporary national and international art exhibition. In 1990 these temporary exhibitions become permanent when the Spanish modern art collection is moved there. In September 1992 the Permanent Collection of the National Museum Art Centre Reina Sofía is opened to the public.
Picasso?s  "Guernica", which up to then had been on exhibit in the Casón del Buen Retiro (belonging to El Prado Museum, with works by Juan Gris) is also moved there.
The permanent collection focuses on Spanish modern artists. One can see works by Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Juan Gris, Tápies, Oteiza...
The permanent exhibition is on the 2nd and 4th floors. The first is dedicated to art from the late 19th century up to the mid 20th century. The 4th floor houses works from the mid 20th century up to the 1980's.
There is also a library specialised in 20th century art on the top floor and there are temporary and travelling exhibitions as well as conferences, workshops, guided tours...

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