Great news, my fellow museum-loving friends! Free museums in Madrid is really a thing, and it’s entirely possible to enjoy the city’s extensive cultural scene without spending a single euro.
In fact, if you can plan accordingly, you can see the city’s most famous museums without even opening your wallet. For that, this list will come in very handy. Also, use this metro map to help you plan your visit.
Some museums are free all the time, and others are free only on certain days and at certain times. This list will allow you to plan your itinerary and take advantage of the free admissions at your favorite museums and cultural centers.
Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a history buff, or just someone hungry for new experiences, Madrid is about to become your ultimate playground.
Many may be on your Madrid bucket list, so this is a great—and economical—way to cross them off.
• Many museums will ask that you store your personal belongings in a coat check or locker
• If the day you want to visit a museum is a holiday, make sure that it’s open and that the free entrance still applies
• Many museums are free on the following holidays: April 18th (International Day for Monuments and Sites), May 18th (International Museum Day), October 12th (Spain’s National Day), and December 6th (Constitution Day in Spain)
• Many museums are closed on Mondays
• Most museums stop letting people enter 15 or 30 minutes before they close
• Some museums require you to book in advance, even though entry is free
Although all of the information below has been triple-checked, it’s not a bad idea to take a quick look at the museum’s website before you go to make sure nothing has changed.
36 Free Museums in Madrid
Use this epic list of free museums to enjoy all of the city’s magic without spending a cent.
Reina Sofía Museum
You can access this museum, which houses the work of Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dalí, for free on Mondays between 7 and 9 pm, from Wednesday to Saturday between 7 and 9 pm, on Sundays between 12:30 and 2:30 pm.
Museo Reina Sofia
C. de Sta. Isabel, 52
Closest metro: Atocha (L1)
Prado Museum
The museum, home to paintings by famous painters like El Greco, Diego Velazquez, and Francisco de Goya, offers free access to everyone from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays and holidays from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Keep in mind that this is a huge museum with an incredibly large collection, home to countless masterpieces spanning several centuries, making it one of the best art museums in all of Europe. Depending on your level of interest, you might have to visit twice!
Museo Nacional del Prado
C. de Ruiz de Alarcón, 23
Closest metros: Estacion del Arte (L1), Banco de Espana (L2)
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The Thyssen Museum, which features the art of countless famous artists, offers free entry to its permanent collection every Monday all year round from 12.00 pm to 4:00 pm
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
P.º del Prado, 8
Closest metro: Estacion del Arte (L1)
Madrid’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)
The Contemporary Art Museums of Madrid is free for everyone, all year round.
It’s open from Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 2 pm and from 5 to 9 pm; on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm and from 5:30 to 9 pm; and on Sundays and holidays from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.
In the summer, it’s open from Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 2 pm and from 3 to 8 pm; on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm and from 5:30 to 8 pm; and on Sundays and holidays from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Madrid
Calle del Conde Duque, 9
Closest metro: Noviciado (L2)
National Anthropology Museum
This museum offers free admission for everyone on Saturdays from 2:00 PM until closing time and on Sundays.
Museo Nacional de Antropología
Calle Alfonso XII, 68
Closest metro: Estacion del Arte (L1)
Sorolla Museum
This lovely art museum provides free admission for everyone on Saturdays from 2 pm until closing time, and on Sundays and on holidays only for people under 18, over 65, students up to 25 years old, people with disabilities, unemployed people, and retirees.
Museo Sorolla
Paseo del General Martínez Campos, 37
Closest metros: Ruben Dario (L5), Gregorio Marañon (L10)
Telefónica Foundation
This centrally-located building, right on Gran Via, offers a selection of exhibitions and events which are completely free.
It’s open Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 8 pm; Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, from 11 am to 9 pm.
Fundación Telefónica
Gran Via, 29
Closest metro: Gran Via (L1, L5)
Lázaro Galdiano Museum
This museum offers free entry from Tuesday to Sunday, between 2 and 3 pm. Children under 7 accompanied by an adult also enter for free, as do unemployed people.
Museo Lázaro Galdiano
Calle Serrano, 122
Closest metros: Ruben Dario (L5), Gregorio Marañon (L10), Nuñez de Balbao (L5)
National Archaeological Museum
At this museum, you can access it for free on Saturdays after 2 pm and Sunday mornings as well as on the holidays mentioned in the intro.
Museo Arqueológico Nacional
Calle Serrano, 13
Closest metros and commuter trains: Serrano (L4), Retiro (L2), Estacion de Recoletos (Cercanias)
Cerralbo Museum
Here entry is free on Thursdays from 5 to 8 pm (except on holidays), every Sunday, and the 4 holidays mentioned in the introduction.
Museo Cerralbo
Calle Ventura Rodriguez, 17
Closest metro: Ventura Rodriguez (L3)
Museum of the Americas
This museum offers free entry on Thursdays after 2 pm and on Sundays all day long, as well as on the four holidays mentioned previously.
Museo de América
Avenida de los Reyes Católicos, 6
Closest metros: Islas Filipinas (L7), Moncloa (L3)
Lope de Vega’s House-Museum
The artist’s home/museum was built in the 16th century and he lived in it until his death, in 1635.
The garden and the temporary exhibition can be visited for free without booking, but the museum is only accessible as part of a 35-minute guided tour, which is free but must be booked in advance. It’s held every 30 minutes in Spanish, English, French, or Italian.
It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm.
Casa Museo Lope de Vega
Calle de Cervantes, 11
Closest metros: Sol (L1, L2, L3), Anton Martin (L1), Sevilla (L2)
National Museum of Romanticism
Admission is free on Saturdays from 2:00 pm until closing time, on Sundays, and on the four holidays mentioned above.
Museo del Romanticismo
Calle San Mateo, 13
Closest metro: Tribunal (L1)
Madrid Naval Museum
Entry is technically free all day, every day, although the museum asks for a 3 euro donation from all visitors.
It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 7 pm.
Museo Naval de Madrid
Paseo del Prado, 3
Closest metro: Banco de España (L2)
National Museum of Natural Sciences
This museum is free on Sundays between 5 and 8 pm, except in August. Free tickets are provided starting at 5 pm in order of arrival until the museum reaches its maximum capacity.
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales
Calle José Gutierrez Abascal, 2
Closest metro: Gregorio Marañon (L10)
Museum of History of Madrid
This museum, which details the whole history of Madrid, is free all day every day. The interesting building was originally a hospice and was built in 1673.
Museo de Historia de Madrid
Calle de Fuencarral, 78
Closest metro: Tribunal (L1)
San Isidro Museum
This museum that covers the history of Madrid’s patron saint, San Isidro, is free all day every day, so you have no excuses to not learn more about this important figure in Madrid’s history.
It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 7 pm.
Museo San Isidro
Plaza de San Andrés, 2
Closest metro: La Latina (L5)
Liria Museum-Palace
This museum prides itself on offering a “unique museum experience” bringing together music, words, and images in a delight for the senses.
This museum is only free on Mondays that are not holidays, between 9:15 and 9:45 am until it reaches maximum capacity. Tickets can be reserved one week in advance.
Palacio Museo de Liria
Calle de la Princesa, 20
Closest metros: Ventura Rodriquz (L3), Arguelles (L3), Plaza de España (L3)
Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions
This compact but interesting museum has over 7000 artifacts on display, highlighting rustic and urban traditions.
It’s free all day every day and you don’t need to book in advance, but keep in mind that it closes in August. Otherwise, head on over Monday to Friday from 10 am to 8 pm, or on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.
Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares
Calle Carlos Arniches, 3-5
Closest metro and commuter train: Embajadores (L3 and Cercanias)
ABC Museum of Drawing and Illustration
This innovative building was actually the first Mahou beer factory in Madrid, back in the day. Today it’s a museum featuring the works of a wide range of artists, dating back to 1890.
This museum is free to enter, although they do ask for a 3 euro donation if possible. It’s open from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 9 pm, and on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm.
Museo ABC de Dibujo e Ilustración
Calle Amaniel, 29-31
Closes metros: San Bernardo (L2, L4), Noviciado (L4), Plaza de España (L3, L10), Ventura Rodriguez (L3)
Geomineral Museum
This museum, which is a sight to see for its architecture alone, also has a large display of minerals, rocks, and fossils. It’s free to enter always and is open from 9 am to 2 pm, 7 days a week.
Museo Geominero
Calle Ríos Rosas, 23
Closest metros: Rios Rosas (L1), Alberto Cano (L7), Gregorio Marañon (L10), Cuatro Caminos (L2)
Costume Museum
If you appreciate fashion, you’re going to love the Costume Museum. It’s free on Sundays, from 10 am to 3 pm.
Museo del Traje
Avenida de Juan de Herrera, 2
Closest metro: Ciudad Universitaria (L6)
National Museum of Decorative Arts
This museum, one of the oldest in Madrid is free to enter on Sundays, Thursdays between 5 and 8 pm, and on Saturdays between 2 and 3 pm.
Its temporary exhibitions are always free, and in summer entry is free from July 1st to August 31st. It’s also free on the four days mentioned in the introduction.
It’s located within Madrid’s “Golden Triangle of Art,” and highlights the evolution of textiles, glass, ceramics, and furniture, will collections dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas
Calle Montalbán, 12
Closest metros: Banco de España (L2), Estacion del Arte (L1)
National Museum of Science and Technology
Even though this museum is outside of the city center, it’s still technically in Madrid and it’s a fantastic free museum for kids with lots of hands-on activities. Tickets are free but you do have to reserve them ahead of time online.
They also have lots of cool workshops, although these are not free and cost around 3 euros.
Museo Nacional de Ciencias y Tecnologia (MNCYT)
Calle del Pintor Velázquez, 5, Alcobendas
Closest metro: Marques de la Valdavia (L10)
Espacio SOLO
This international art project, with 900 works on display from emerging international artists, includes everything from kinetic sculptures and figurative painting to sound art.
Entry is free for everyone, all the time, but you must book a ticket in advance on the website. All visits are guided and last 50 minutes. It opens from 10 am to 8:30 pm. It’s closed in summer but reopens on September 4th.
Of all of the free museums in Madrid, don’t miss the opportunity to see this one, especially if you like contemporary art.
Espacio SOLO
Plaza de la Independencia, 5
Closest metro: Retiro (L2)
ICO Museum
This is a great museum for art and architecture lovers, and it offers guided visits and lots of educational activities for adults as well as kids.
It’s free to visit, all day every day, and is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 am to 8 pm, and on Sundays and holidays, from 10 am to 2 pm. It’s closed on December 24th, 25th, and 31st, January 1st, and May 1st.
Museo ICO
Calle de Zorilla, 3
Closest metro: Banco de España (L2), Sevilla (L2)
El Matadero
This old slaughterhouse-turned-contemporary art center has loads of interesting activities, from exhibitions to films and concerts.
It’s open every day from 9:30 am to 9 pm, and while some activities require that you buy tickets, access to the Matadero and the majority of its activities and exhibitions are completely free.
El Matadero
Plaza de Legazpi, 8
Closest metro: Legazpi (L3)
Temple of Debod
While this isn’t a traditional museum, this temple from ancient Egypt is free to access and the interior is worth a visit.
On the inside, the walls are covered by hieroglyphics, there are sculptures to see, and there’s information about society and mythology in Egypt. Also, on the second floor, there is a miniature display of the temples in Nubia.
You can visit it from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6:30 pm, and keep in mind that it might be at maximum capacity and you might have to wait, or there may be a line.
Templo de Debod
Calle Ferraz 1
Closest metros and commuter trains: Ventura Rodriquez (L3), Principe Pio (L6 and Cercanias)
La Corrala Cultural Center and the Museum of Popular Art and Traditions
The cultural center and museum share the same space and are free for visitors all day every day.
They’re open from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 8 pm, and on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm. The museum and center contain 8000 ethnographic and anthropological pieces.
Centro Cultural La Corrala
Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares
Calle Carlos Arniches, 3 and 5
Closest metros and commuter trains: La Latina (L5), Embajadores (L3), Embajadores (Cercanias)
La Casa Encendida
This cultural center is worth a visit if you’re looking for something different. It usually has a packed schedule, and although many of the activities require tickets, you can also access some of the exhibitions for free.
It’s open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 am to 9 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm.
La Casa Encendida
Ronda de Valencia, 2
Closest metro and train: Embajadores (L3 and Cercanias)
Crystal Palace
This glass palace located inside Retiro Park is free to enter and is run by the Reina Sofia Museum. It often hosts the museum’s temporary exhibits.
Palacio de Cristal
El Retiro Park
Closest metros: Retiro (L2), Ibiza (L9)
Palacio de Velázquez
If you’re in Retiro Park, hop on over to the Velázquez Palace, built in the 1880s. This unique brick, tile, and glass building now hosts exhibitions from the Reina Sofia Museum and is completely free.
It’s open 7 days a week as follows: January, February, November, and December, from 10 am to 6 pm; March, from 10 am to 7 pm; April to September, from 10 am to 10 pm; and October, from 10 am to 7 pm.
Velázquez’s Palace
Paseo Venezuela, 2
Closest metros: Retiro (L2), Ibiza (L9), Estacion del Arte (L1)
Museum for the Blind
This cultural space displays artistic work and materials that visitors can touch. It currently has 4 rooms with paintings, sculptures, and textile art made by visually-impaired artists.
It’s free to visit always and is open from Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 3 pm and from 4 pm to 7 pm, and on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.
Museo Tifológico de la ONCE
Calle de la Coruña, 18
Closest metro: Estrecho (L1)
Goya’s Pantheon
If you’re looking for an unusual museum experience, this is the place for you. This is a chapel and pantheon that honors one of Spain’s most famous painters, Francisco de Goya.
Learn more about the artist and check out his stunning frescoes.
It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:30 am to 8 pm, except in summer (June 15th to September 15th), when it’s open from Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 am to 2 pm. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, it’s open from 9:30 to 7 pm.
Panteón de Goya
Glorieta San Antonio de la Florida, 5
Closest metro: Principe Pio (L6)
Pantheon of Spain
Formerly known as the Pantheon of Illustrious Men, this incredible museum pays homage to the people who have made great strides in the history of Spanish democracy.
Fortunately, it’s not just “men,” and the pantheon also pays tribute to leading women in Spanish history.
It’s considered a very important part of Spain’s national heritage, and entrance is completely free.
It’s open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 am to 2 pm and from 4 to 6:30 pm. The final entry is at 1:30 pm and at 6 pm. On Sundays and holidays, it’s open from 10 am to 3 pm, with the final entry at 2:30 pm.
Panteón de España
Calle de Julián Gayarre, 34
Closest metro: Atocha Renfe (L1), Estacion del Arte (L1)
San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts
This museum has a wealth of materials, from sculptures, paintings, and drawings to pottery, furniture, and medals, if you want to pay.
If you want the free ticket, you’ll be limited to the Goya and Picasso exhibition and you must reserve your ticket in advance. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, including holidays, from 10 am to 3 pm.
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Calle de Alcalá, 13
Closest metro: Banco de España (L2), Seville (L2), Sol (L1, L2, L3), Gran Via (L5, L1)
The next time you’re in this vibrant city, remember that there are many, many things worth visiting. Take advantage of the free entry at these free museums in Madrid and explore their captivating and unique exhibitions.