Which Madrid museums are open on a Monday?
Almost all of Madrid is open on a Monday: the Prado, Reina Sofía, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Royal Palace all open, and the one that surprises people is the Sorolla Museum, which closes every Monday of the year. Reina Sofía closes on Tuesdays, not Mondays, which catches out people who plan around the Paris or Rome rule.
My pick for a Monday is the Prado at 10am, then the Thyssen-Bornemisza after lunch: the Thyssen is free on Mondays from 12pm to 4pm with no ticket, and it is across the Paseo del Prado from the Prado. None of the closure dates on those pages falls on a Monday between now and January 6, 2027: the closures in that window are December 24, 25 and 31, January 1 and 6, and none is a Monday. For the Prado against Reina Sofía, read Prado or Reina Sofía.
Which places are open on Monday, and which are closed?
| Place | Open Monday | Hours | Ticket rule and closures | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prado Museum | Yes | 10am to 8pm; free 6pm to 8pm | Closed January 1, May 1 and December 25. Reduced hours, 10am to 2pm, on January 6, December 24 and 31. Timed ticket; the free hours still need one. | Nov 13 |
| Reina Sofía | Yes | 10am to 9pm; free 7pm to 9pm | Closed Tuesdays, so Monday is a regular day. Free hours still need a ticket, which you can book online. Closed January 1 and 6, May 1 and 15, and December 24, 25 and 31. | Nov 13 |
| Thyssen-Bornemisza | Yes | 12pm to 4pm, free | Free and direct access, no ticket. Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Closed January 1, May 1 and December 25; open 10am to 3pm on December 24 and 31. The Dalí exhibition lists Mondays as closed. | Nov 13 |
| Royal Palace | Yes | 10am to 6pm to March; the venue and box office close one hour early | Closed December 25, January 1 and 6; closes at 3pm on December 24 and 31. Free entry Monday to Thursday, 4pm to 6pm in winter, for EU citizens, residents and Latin American citizens with proof, self-guided only. | Nov 13 |
| Sorolla Museum | No | Tuesday to Saturday 9:30am to 8pm; Sunday 10am to 3pm | Closed every Monday of the year, as well as January 1 and 6, May 1 and December 24, 25 and 31. Visits are limited to the new extension building while the house is restored. | Nov 13 |
Hours change with exhibitions and holidays, so check the place's own page for your date before you book anything around it.
What should you do instead when a place is closed on Monday?
- The Sorolla Museum is closed. Move it to a Tuesday to Saturday morning; it opens at 9:30am. Its own page says visits are limited to the new extension building while the house is restored, so check what is open before you plan a half day around it.
- Reina Sofía is open on Monday but closed on Tuesday. If your Monday is full, move it to Wednesday or later rather than Tuesday.
- The Thyssen's Dalí exhibition is listed as closed on Mondays. If that exhibition is the reason you are going, pick another day; the permanent collection is open from 12pm to 4pm.
Is anything free on a Monday in Madrid?
Yes, three places have a free window on Monday, and the Thyssen is the only one with no ticket. The Thyssen is free from 12pm to 4pm with direct access. The Prado is free from 6pm to 8pm, and Reina Sofía is free from 7pm to 9pm, but both still need a ticket, so book it online. The Royal Palace has a free window from 4pm to 6pm, Monday to Thursday in winter, only for EU citizens, residents and Latin American citizens who show proof, and only for self-guided visits. The Reina Sofía page says 10am to noon and the start of the free hours are its busiest times.
How would a concierge plan a Madrid Monday?
Prado at 10am, a quick lunch, the Thyssen by 2pm, and nothing else. Add the Royal Palace instead of the Thyssen if you prefer rooms to paintings; it closes at 6pm in winter and its venue and box office close an hour early, so start by 3pm. Take Reina Sofía for Guernica only if it is the reason you came, and go after 2pm for the shorter lines its page describes. The three-day Madrid itinerary puts the Prado on a weekday morning, and what to book before Madrid lists the tickets to reserve first.
For the same question elsewhere, the Rome museums on a Monday, Tokyo museums on a Monday and Paris museums on Monday and Tuesday guides give the same table.