madrid museums, visit the prado, the reina sofia and the thyssen:

The wide variety of museums in Madrid attests the region's cultural wealth. The list is headed by the three big museums: The Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen. But the city is full of others museums, foundations or cultural centers that are worth seeing and where you can enjoy very nice paintings and sculptures..

MUSEO DEL PRADO
(Paseo del Prado, s/n, Metro Banco de España)

The Prado is best known for its extraordinary religious paintings and regal portraits by Goya, El Greco and Velázquez, as well as works by Hieronymus Bosch, Titian, Rubens and others. The collection is widely considered one of the richest in quality and variety of paintings.

OPEN: Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am. to 7 pm. Holidays, 24th and 31st December: 9 pm-2 pm. CLOSED: Mondays, 1st January, 1st May, 25th December, Easter Friday. 6 Euros general public, 3 Euros for students from non-EU countries aged under 25. Free Entrance for Visitors under 18 years, over 65, retired or permanently disabled, Unemployed visitors from EU countries, Students from EU countries aged under 25, and for EVERYONE FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY FROM 18H TO 20H AND on Sundays (FROM 16H TO 20H).

More info: http://museoprado.mcu.es

MUSEO NACIONAL CENTRO DE ARTE REINA SOFIA
(Santa Isabel, 52 Metro Atocha)

Spain's national gallery of Modern Art. In the exhibition halls, visitors can see the masterpieces of the great geniuses of the Spanish avant-garde, with Picasso, Miró and Dalí at their head. The famous painting by Picasso, Guernica, occupies the place of honor of the collection.

OPEN: Monday through Saturday 10 am. to 9pm. Sundays & Holidays 10 am. to 4 pm. CLOSED: Tuesdays. General Admission: 3 Euros Half-Price: "Carné Joven"; Student Card or international equivalents. Free: Under 18; over 65, and for EVERYONE on Saturdays (2 pm. to 9pm.) and Sundays (10 am. to 2.30 pm)

More info: http://museoreinasofia.mcu.es

MUSEO DE ARTE THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA
(Palacio de Villahermosa, Paseo del Prado 8)

One of the finest private art collections in the world. Even today few other world cities could boast a better collection than this.

Duccio, Van Eyck, Carpaccio, Kandinsky, Lucas Cranach, Dürer, Caravaggio, Rubens, Frans Hals, Titian, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Monet, Kirchner, Picasso, Mondrian, Klee, Hopper, Rauschenberg. You will find great artists at this museum. The museum is structured in such a way that you can actually take a journey through art, from its 13th Century till the last decades of the 20th Century.

More info: http://www.museothyssen.org

MUSEO MUNICIPAL
(c/Fuencarral) 78, Metro Tribunal. Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 am-8 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10 am-2 pm; Mondays and holidays closed. Free entrance.

Related to the history of Madrid, including paintings, sculpture and maps

More info: http://www.munimadrid.es/museomunicipal/

PALACIO REAL
(c/Bailén, s/n, Metro Opera) Monday-Saturday, 9 am-6 pm; Sundays and holidays, 9 am-3 pm. Entrance: 8 Euros. Children, students and retirees: 3,30 Euros. Wed free for citizens of the E.U.

Fine collections of decorative arts and paintings. It is now used for only official functions and is no longer the residence of the Spanish monarchs, who only holds receptions and official ceremonies here.

More info: http://www.patrimonionacional.es/preal/preal.htm

FUNDACIÓN CULTURAL MAPFRE VIDA
(Avenida General Perón 40, Metro Santiago Bernabeu)

Different exhibition all around the year

More info: http://81.19.100.138/mapfre/index.jsp

MUSEO MUNICIPAL DE ARTE CONTEMPORÁNEO
(Conde Duque, 11 Metro Noviciado)

Free entrance (Tuesday-Saturday: 10 am-2 pm 6 pm-9 pm Sundays 10.30 am-2.30 pm) Collection of contemporary art: paintings, sculptures, drawings, photos mostly about Madrid or created by Madrid's artists.

More info: http://www.munimadrid.es/museoartecontemporaneo/

LA CASA ENCENDIDA
(Ronda de Valencia 2, Metro Lavapiés)

Hosts cutting-edge performance art and music, exhibitions and lots of activities for children.

More info: http://www.lacasaencendida.com