More about: Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid: Tickets and Tours
In 1990, what is now one of Spain's most important museums was born. Picasso, Miró, Dalí, Juan Gris, Delaunay, Yves Klein, and Francis Bacon are just some of the artists featured at the Reina Sofía.
Buying tickets in advance online is the best option. It's not uncommon to find a queue of visitors several metres long in front of the museum stairs. Here are the best ways to visit the museum:
Madrid Reina Sofia Museum Tickets
The Reina Sofía, at your own pace and skipping the queues
Perfect if you want to visit the Reina Sofía Museum at your own pace, without having to join a guided tour but want to skip the queues at the ticket office.
It is not uncommon to find a long queue at the museum doors made up of those who have not yet bought their tickets to see the permanent collection or temporary exhibitions and are waiting to get to the ticket office.
You can save yourself the wait by booking your tickets online for the Reina Sofía: all you have to do is choose the day you want to visit the museum. Once you have booked your tickets for the Reina Sofía online, you will receive a voucher by email to exchange for your ticket at the museum on the day of your visit.
Why I like this option: this is the most economical option for visiting the museum at your own pace.
Recommended if... you want to visit the museum on a tight budget.
Madrid Reina Sofia Museum Guided Tour
Explore the Reina Sofía Museum with an expert guide
If you want to discover the most interesting works at the Reina Sofía with an expert guide, join this guided tour.
If you want to see the museum in an hour and a half without missing the main highlights of its collection, I recommend this guided tour, which includes skip-the-line tickets. The experience of visiting the museum with a guide will allow you to discover the works in a much more intimate and personal way and, of course, learn important lessons about contemporary art.
A guided tour of the Reina Sofía is worthwhile in any museum, and even more so in this one, as contemporary art has a rich cultural context that is not apparent at first glance.
Why I like this option: I think it's essential to visit a museum with a specialist guide who can help you contextualise everything you see, and the Reina Sofía Museum, with the amount of art it houses, is no exception.
Recommended if... you want to learn about the stories behind the Reina Sofía's most important works with an expert guide.
Madrid Prado Museum and Reina Sofia Museum Guided Tour
Explore the Prado and Reina Sofía museums with an expert guide
The Prado Museum and the Reina Sofía Museum are two must-see attractions in Madrid, and exploring them with an expert guide will help you get the most out of your visit.
The Reina Sofía and the Prado Museum are essential for all art lovers visiting Madrid. No tour of Spanish art is complete without a visit to one of these two museums, as they cover different periods.
On a joint guided tour of the Prado and the Reina Sofía, you can visit both museums with an expert guide who will explain the main works.
If you don't have much time to visit these museums, this is a highly recommended option: the price is around £74 and includes skip-the-line tickets for both museums.
Why I like this option: with this great value package, you can visit the two most important museums with an expert guide.
Recommended if... you want to enjoy the art of these two Madrid museums accompanied by a guide and save time and money, as it is cheaper than booking both visits separately.
The Reina Sofía, at your own pace and skipping the queues
Perfect if you want to visit the Reina Sofía Museum at your own pace, without having to join a guided tour but want to skip the queues at the ticket office.
Explore the Reina Sofía Museum with an expert guide
If you want to discover the most interesting works at the Reina Sofía with an expert guide, join this guided tour.
Explore the Prado and Reina Sofía museums with an expert guide
The Prado Museum and the Reina Sofía Museum are two must-see attractions in Madrid, and exploring them with an expert guide will help you get the most out of your visit.
Ticket prices for the Reina Sofía Museum
The general admission price is £11 and includes access to the permanent and temporary exhibitions. In addition, children under 18 enter free of charge, making it a perfect option if you are visiting the museum with your family. If you want to avoid the queue, it is best to buy your tickets online in advance and choose the day you prefer for your visit.
How to buy tickets for the Reina Sofía at the ticket office
If you haven't booked your ticket, you can go to the ticket office and buy it there to gain direct access, but you will probably have to queue during high season or at peak times of the day. You won't save much by buying your ticket at the ticket office, but if you do, it's best to go first thing in the morning so you can visit the museum in peace and with fewer tourists.
Are there guided tours at the Reina Sofía Museum?
Yes, the museum offers guided tours with an expert who will help you discover the details and context of the most important works. It is a highly recommended way to get to know the museum if you want to make the most of your visit and gain a better understanding of contemporary art. You can book your place in advance to ensure access without queuing.
Is it worth taking a guided tour of the Reina Sofia Museum?
Yes, if you want to make the most of your visit to the Reina Sofía Museum, signing up for a guided tour is one of the best options. These tours not only allow you to skip the queue, but also help you to contextualise the works, discover details that would otherwise go unnoticed and better understand the impact that artists such as Picasso, Dalí and Miró have had on the history of contemporary art.
Types of guided tours at the Reina Sofía
Whether you prefer a group experience or a private tour, here are some of the best options you can book:
- Guided tour of the Reina Sofía Museum — 1 hour and 15 minute group tour to see the most iconic works, including "Guernica".
- Private tour of the Reina Sofía Museum — An exclusive 2-hour experience with an expert guide and skip-the-line access.
- Combined guided tour of the Prado Museum and Reina Sofia Museum — 4-hour tour that includes both museums, ideal for lovers of classical and modern art.
- Guided tour of Madrid and the Reina Sofía Museum — Includes a walk through the historic centre and a visit to the museum with a private guide, perfect if you want a more complete plan.
What to see at the Reina Sofía
The differences between contemporary art and classical art are notable: classical art tells a story or presents a point of view framed within a historical and cultural context. Contemporary art is different: it seeks experimentation, rupture and emotion. This does not mean that 20th-century works do not have a context behind them; they do, and they also have a series of influences. Therefore, I recommend visiting the Reina Sofía with the following in mind:
- Picasso's Guernica: The museum's most famous work, a huge cubist canvas depicting the bombing of Guernica.
- The Open Window by Juan Gris: A brilliant example of cubism with a collage effect.
- Miró's The House with the Palm Tree: A painting from his early period with a dreamlike quality.
- Dalí's Girl at the Window: An early portrait of his sister, before his best-known surrealist period.
- Picabia's Totaliser: A mechanical and ironic piece inspired by Dadaism.
- A World of Angels by Santos: A monumental canvas inspired by the poetry of Juan Ramón Jiménez.
- Dalí's The Great Masturbator: A surrealist vision of desire and transformation.
- Miró's Painting (snail, woman, flower, star): Dramatic surrealism marked by the historical context.
- Characters leaving a rock concert by Pérez Villalta: A pictorial tribute to the Madrid scene.
- Picasso's Woman in Blue: Work from his blue period, marked by pain and melancholy.
How to get to the Reina Sofía
The museum is located opposite Atocha station. The main entrance is in the square renamed "Juan Goytisolo", but few people know it by that name. The easiest way to get there is by underground. If you get off at the Estación del Arte underground station, you can get there by going straight ahead from the exit and turning right after a few metres.
The area around the Reina Sofía
The museum is located in one of the most central areas of Madrid, so you will find the area very lively. I recommend looking for Calle Argumosa, where you can enjoy a few Madrid-style beers at any of the pleasant terraces in the traditional Lavapiés neighbourhood.
Plan your visit to the Reina Sofía Museum
When to go
The Reina Sofía Museum is closed on Tuesdays. On Sundays, it is open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and on all other days, it opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. As admission is free after 7 p.m., it tends to get very busy, so it is best to go first thing in the morning on any weekday. You'll need about two hours to see the museum, so if you want to take advantage of the free admission, arrive around 6 or 6.30pm to join the queue.
Audio guide
The audio guide costs around £4.50, with discounts for students and groups. I recommend visiting the museum without it on your first visit to enjoy the works in general and see what each one conveys to you without being influenced by its context. On a second visit, you can go back and see the works that impressed you the most and put them into context with the information provided by the audio guide. You'll be in for more than one surprise.
Where to eat
There are several places to eat around the museum. One of the most legendary is El Brillante, a bar where you can try the famous calamari sandwich for which Madrid is famous. However, the prices are quite high, so I recommend any other restaurant in the area; there are plenty to choose from. If you finish your visit to the museum around brunch time, the museum's restaurant, Nubel, is a very pleasant place to enjoy a delicious brunch.
Visiting the Reina Sofía with children
The museum offers a range of activities to introduce children to both the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Before visiting, find out how you can make the visit more accessible for the little ones, as there are guides available in the museum shop to help you with this.
Other interesting museums
If you're left wanting more, don't miss the Prado Museum. Located just a few metres from the Reina Sofía, the Prado is a cultural gem that art lovers should not miss. I'll tell you all about it in my article on Prado Museum in Madrid: Tickets and Tours.
Other interesting activities in Madrid
Madrid is a large city, well suited for walking and exploring. That's why I highly recommend taking a guided tour of the city. Well, that and because, as you've probably already noticed, Madrid exudes history at every turn. In this article about 12 Best Tours in Madrid you'll find all the information you need to choose the best guided tour for your trip.
And if you'd rather take a break between walks, you can continue enjoying Madrid aboard its famous tourist bus. Although it may seem a bit touristy at first, it's still a comfortable and practical way to get from one end of the city to the other from the top of the bus. Here's all the information you need to know: Madrid Hop-On Hop-Off Buses.