Queen Sofia National Museum Art Centre or in Spanish Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia MNCARS is one of the most visited museums in Spain and in the world, and what stands out in the museum are the works of Dalí and Picasso. It is known as the Museo Reina Sofia and is a modern museum of the 20th century. The museum is located in the building of the old general hospital, which is also known to the public as the Sabatini building.
It was created in the 17th century, and the architects who worked on it were Jose de Hermosilla, and a little later the Italian architect Sabatini. The building was built in the neoclassical style. The building had its purpose as a hospital until 1965, when it was closed. Over time, it has undergone numerous restorations, there have even been rumors in the public that the building will be demolished, but this did not happen because it was declared a historical and artistic monument.
The restoration of the building in 1980 was done by Antonio Fernandez Alba, and in 1986 the museum organized its temporary exhibitions on the first and second floors in the building. Additional renovations of the building were done by Jose Luis Iniguez de Onzono and Antonio Vazquez de Castro in 1988 in collaboration with a British architect.
The museum officially opened its doors in this building in 1992, and Their Majesties King Juan Carlos and Queen Mrs. Sofia opened the Permanent Collection of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. Until then, there were only temporary exhibitions in the museum. From then until today, the museum has had the task of enlarging and exhibiting its art collections; promoting knowledge and public access to contemporary art in its various manifestations; holding an international exhibition and initiating trainings, advisory activities related to their content.
The premises were expanded in 2005 in a newly opened building on Ronda de Atocha Street. The creation of this museum in Spain led to the creation of an international museum of modern and contemporary art. The most significant permanent works on display are works of art by top Spanish artists of the 20th century Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Joan Miró, but there are also works by Francis Picabia, Rene Magritte, Ives Tanguy, Juan Gris, Maria Blanchard, Georges Braque, Robert Delaunay, Francis Bacon, Antonio Saura. Tthere is a landscaped park in front of the museum.
This museum, together with the Prado and Thyssen Bornemisza, forms the "Madrid Art Triangle".
Ticket price for the museum
Regular ticket price: 10 EUR
Reduced ticket price: 8 EUR - to buy a ticket online
Free entrance for those over 65 and every day from 7pm.
Museum opening hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 9pm
on Sundays from 10am to 1:30pm
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
Contact: [email protected]; instagram: travel_europe1
Photo credit: The Queen Sofia National Museum Art Centre
