The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, commonly known as Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid, is a fundamental piece of Spanish cultural heritage. Well, it is a Spanish museum of 20th century and contemporary art located in the city of Madrid. That’s why, at Wonder Tours, we tell you about him.
Reina Sofía is part of the so-called Landscape of Light, a cultural landscape declared a World Heritage Site on 25 July 2021. And, it is located at the southern end of Madrid’s Triangle of Art, which includes two other famous museums: the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza.
In addition, over the years it has become the most visited museum in Spain and number eleven (11) in the world. In fact, for 2016, according to the museum, the number of visitors had a record of 3,646,598.
The building was designed by the architect…
The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía has its headquarters in the Old General Hospital of Madrid. In addition, it is a beautiful neoclassical building of the 18th century, located in the area of Atocha, near the train station of the same name and the Metro Station Arte.
The current building was originally designed by the architect José de Hermosilla and later continued by Francesco Sabatini. For this reason, today it is known as the Sabatini Building in honor of the Italian architect.
The museum was also inaugurated in 1992, although the building has housed temporary exhibitions in previous years. And, in September 2005, the institution’s facilities were expanded with the inauguration of the Nouvel building, which began at the Ronda de Atocha.
Exhibitions Museum Reina Sofía
The museum’s permanent collection contains the main works of the great Spanish artists of the 20th century. In particular, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, whose work is widely exhibited and shows some of their best works.
Also very relevant is the collection of surrealist art where apart from the works of art of Miró and Dalí you will find artists. For example, there are works by Rene Magritte, Francis Picabia, Oscar Domínguez, among others.
There is also a Cubism collection with Picasso as the main representative. But besides him are Georges Braque, Juan Gris, Robert Delaunay, María Blanchard, Fernand Léger…
On the other hand, you will find the presence of new figurative artists such as Francis Bacon or Antonio Saura. And, you will see many other artists of various currents such as Antonio López García, Lucio Fontana, Antoni Tàpies, Yves Klein, Mark Rothko, Diego Rivera, Alexander Calder, Roberto Matta and others.
What can’t you miss at the Reina Sofia?
Among the works of the Reina Sofía Museum on display there are some that you cannot miss. Well, they have left their mark on the history of art and are iconic the historical moment in which each of them was conceived. Here are some of them:
The Guernica by Pablo Picasso
The Guernica, is perhaps the most important work of the entire museum, and the one that attracts the most visitors because it is one of the most important paintings of the 20th century and a symbol of the suffering of human wars. In principle, it is a 7.5m x 3.5m painting which is one of the most relevant and iconic works of modern art.
In this painting, Picasso refers to the bombing of Guernica on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. And, it’s a work that has thousands of metaphorical interpretations of the meaning of an element, and the different perspectives of those who see it.
The Figure in a Window (Figure in a Window) by Salvador Dalí
The work of art “Figure in a Window” is an old surrealist painting by Dalí, in which his sister Anna Maria appeared with her back next to the window. It also recalls the early years of Picasso, with those blue hues prominent in the spectrum of colours of mysterious beauty and serenity.
In addition, the artist reflects great skill in reflecting occupied and empty spaces with the same compositional value. Just as it manages to skillfully remove a wing from the window (left side) without the observer noticing the anomaly.
The Open Window (La fenêtre ouverte) by Juan Gris
“La fenêtre ouverte” by Juan Gris is one of the most important and characteristic paintings of Reina Sofía. Well, it’s a Cubist painting from 1921 that somehow manages to incorporate the outer atmosphere into the closed frame of the painting.
However, Gris does not attempt to create a connection between the outside and the inside, the two spaces are far from being treated equally. Obviously, it is the landscape behind the window that captures all the protagonists and occupies all the space.
Reina Sofía Museum: Opening hours
Below, we will tell you the opening hours of the Museo Reina Sofía, depending on the Headquarters:
- Headquarters. Sabatini Building and Nouvel Building:
Monday from 10:00 to 21:00h
Tuesday is Closed
Wednesday – Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00h
Sunday from 10:00 to 14:30h
Public holidays Consult the days of closure
- Headquarters Parque del Retiro. Velázquez Palace and Crystal Palace:
Open every day of the week:
January – February from 10:00 to 18:00h
March from 10:00 to 19:00h
April – September from 10:00 to 22:00h
October from 10:00 to 19:00h
November – December from 10:00 to 18:00h
Closed on: 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 16 May*, 9 November*, 24**, 25 and 31 December**
In the case of days marked with * They may be modified by applying the working calendar of the Community of Madrid. And, the Parque del Retiro headquarters will remain open.
And the days marked with ** Only the Parque del Retiro enclosure will remain open until 17:00 hours.
What day is free at the Reina Sofia Museum?
The museum has the option of visiting it free of charge. So, if you want to visit the Reina Sofía Museum for free, you must do it at the following time:
- Monday *19:00h to 21:00h
- Wednesday-Saturday *19:00h to 21:00h
- Sunday 12:30h to 14:30h
Public holidays 18 April, 18 May, 12 October
Times marked with * Free admission at these times and dates is for individual audiences only.
How much is the entrance to the Reina Sofía Museum?
Below, you will see the value of the entrance to the Reina Sofía Museum:
- Individual ticket €12: includes the joint visit to the Collection and the temporary exhibitions.
- General single ticket valid for two visits 18 €: Allows two visits to the Museum in a year
- Pass for the Paseo del Arte 32 €: Allows the visit to the Museo Reina Sofía, the Museo Nacional del Prado and the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza.
- State Museums Annual Card €36.06: Allows you to visit all State Museums for one year from the date of purchase.
How long does it take to visit the Reina Sofía Museum?
Guided tours last approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour. They must also have a forum of 8 people who will have as meeting point the Sabatini Garden Gate.
Finally, to fully appreciate all the details of the museum we suggest you book a private tour. At Wonder Tours we offer you the Reina Sofia Museum Private Tour that lasts for an hour and a half, every day of the week, except Tuesday, at the time you choose subject to availability of the Museum.
And always thinking about your safety, the package includes: pick you up at the hotel at the agreed time, entrance to the Reina Sofia Museum, services of a professional guide (in different languages). Do not wait any longer and get to know the Reina Sofía Museum with the help of specialists!