The Reina Sofia National Art Museum is one of the top five most visited museums in Spain. It regularly hosts well over three million visitors each year, and it's not hard to see why.
The museum is located within the old General Hospital, built during the reign of Charles III. It was designated a Historic-Artistic monument in 1977.
In 1992, the King and Queen of Spain, Juan Carlos and Sofía, inaugurated it as the museum it is today.
The museum is now home to some of the most prized art collections anywhere in Europe, including works by Salvador Dali and Joan Miro. Picasso's "Guernica" is on show on the ground floor and is one of the most important works exhibited here.
It underwent a major reform in 2005 and now has an auditorium that can seat up to 500 people and another smaller one with a 200-seat capacity, along with a large arts and humanities library.
The museum is divided into different areas where the permanent collections are displayed and the “Espacio Uno” for up-and-coming artists and temporary exhibitions.
The permanent collection is located on the second floor and is divided into rooms dedicated to some of the great artists, including Anglada Camarasa, Zuloaga, Nonell, and Iturrino, as well as other early 20th-century Spanish painters.
The popular Cubist movement of Salvador Dali, Miro and Pablo Picasso is located in the " Ideas " room.
Temporary exhibitions are held in the Velazquez and Crystal Palace.
The ground floor is home to Espacio UNO, which is home to exhibitions by up-and-coming artists. Picasso's famed “Guernica” is exhibited here.
» Check out the most popular Reina Sofia Museum Guided Tour.
The ongoing development of collections and activities meant that the museum needed to increase its floor space, so a new modern building was incorporated in 2000.
Skip-the-Line Reina Sofía Museum Entrance Ticket
