Paseo del Arte Card: Prado, Reina Sofía & Thyssen – Museum Pass Guide

Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art — the Prado, the Reina Sofía, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza — sits within a half-kilometre stretch of Paseo del Prado boulevard. Three of the world’s great art collections, all walkable from each other, all requiring separate admission. The Paseo del Arte Card was created for exactly this situation: one purchase, one year of validity, three museums.

For visitors spending more than a day in Madrid with genuine cultural interests, it is almost always the right choice.

What Is the Paseo del Arte Card?

The Paseo del Arte Card (also referred to as the Arte Pass or Paseo del Arte Pass) is an official joint admission product sold by the three participating museums. It provides one entry to each of the following:

• Museo Nacional del Prado — Spanish and European classical art (12th–19th century)
• Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía — Spanish modern and contemporary art, including Picasso’s Guernica
• Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza — Broad European collection spanning eight centuries, including Impressionism and 20th-century art

What Is Included

• One timed-entry visit to the Prado Museum
• One timed-entry visit to the Museo Reina Sofía
• One timed-entry visit to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
• One year validity from the date of first use at any of the three museums
• Access to permanent collections at all three institutions
• Some temporary exhibitions may require a supplementary ticket — check at each museum on arrival

Ticket Details

Is the Paseo del Arte Card Worth It?

The card is worth buying if:

• You plan to visit all three museums during your Madrid stay
• You are visiting Madrid on multiple occasions within a year and want a standing pass
• You want to budget your museum spending in a single transaction
• You are a serious art traveller planning a comprehensive Madrid cultural visit

The card is not worth buying if:

• You only plan to visit one or two of the three museums
• You intend to use the free evening entry windows at the Prado (Mon–Sat 6–8 PM, Sun 5–7 PM) and Reina Sofía (Monday and Saturday from 7:00 PM, Sunday from 12:30 PM) — in which case your actual cost for those visits is zero
• You are on a very tight schedule and can only realistically fit in one museum visit

The Three Museums: What Each Offers

Museo del Prado

Spain’s national art museum and the anchor of the Golden Triangle. The Prado’s collection of Spanish, Flemish, and Italian classical painting — Velázquez, Goya, Bosch, El Greco, Titian, Rubens — is unrivalled. A complete visit takes 2.5–4 hours. For everything you need to know about the Prado, see our full tickets guide.

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

Spain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art, housed in a converted 18th-century hospital with a striking modern extension designed by Jean Nouvel. The Reina Sofía’s permanent collection spans the 20th century, with its centrepiece being Pablo Picasso’s Guernica — the most politically charged painting of the 20th century. The museum also holds significant works by Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and a comprehensive collection of Spanish avant-garde art. A standard visit takes 2–3 hours.

Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza

The Thyssen fills the chronological and stylistic gaps left by the Prado and Reina Sofía, covering European painting from the medieval period through to late 20th-century abstraction — including the Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Expressionism that neither of its neighbours collects comprehensively. Works by Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Hopper, Klimt, and Mondrian make this the most broadly accessible of the three museums for visitors without a specific interest in Spanish art. A standard visit takes 2–3 hours.

How to Use the Paseo del Arte Card

1. Purchase the card online or at any of the three museum ticket desks
2. On your first museum visit, present the card at the entrance to activate it — this sets the one-year validity clock running
3. At subsequent museums, present the card to gain entry — you do not need to book timed slots separately if you have the card, though during peak periods it is advisable to check whether timed entry applies
4. The card is non-transferable and typically linked to the purchasing visitor

Planning Your Three-Museum Visit

The three museums are close enough to visit two in a single day if you are energetic — but visiting all three in one day is too much for most people. The recommended approach for a Madrid cultural trip is to spread the visits:

Day 1 (Morning): Prado Museum — allow 2.5–4 hours. See our best time to visit guide for the optimal arrival time.

Day 1 (Afternoon) or Day 2: Reina Sofía — allow 2–3 hours. The Reina Sofía’s free entry window runs Monday and Saturday 7:00–9:00 PM and Sunday 12:30–2:30 PM.

Day 2 or Day 3: Thyssen-Bornemisza — allow 2–3 hours. The Thyssen’s free entry window runs Monday 12:00–4:00 PM.

If you are visiting Madrid for only two days and want to see all three museums, visiting the Prado on one morning and the Thyssen or Reina Sofía on the same afternoon is manageable — but accept that you will be choosing highlights at each rather than absorbing the full collection.

Practical Information

Where to buy: Available online (see above), at any of the three museum ticket desks, and through selected travel agents.

Physical card vs digital: The card is typically issued as a physical card. Check your booking confirmation for the format.

Getting between the museums: All three museums are on or immediately adjacent to Paseo del Prado. The Prado and Thyssen are approximately 5 minutes’ walk apart. The Reina Sofía is approximately 8–10 minutes south of the Prado on foot.

Combination with guided tours: The Paseo del Arte Card covers entry only — it does not include guided tour services. If you want guided interpretation at the Prado, consider adding a guided tour or private tour on top of your card entry.