Reina Sofia art museum

Madrid is blessed with a number of world class art museums. The best museum when it comes to 20 century art is the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia – or just Reina Sofia.  The museum is located close to the Atocha station and close to the other famous art museums the Museo del Prado and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza.

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The museum focuses on the famous Spanish artist of the 20^th century namely Picasso and Dali. But there is also several other artist from the period on display.

The museum is spread across four floors with the top highlights of the exhibition is located on the second floor with. The most famous of the paintings on the exhibition is probably Picasso’s painting Guernica which is always on display in room 206 – unlike the Guernica other paintings might be moved around in different rooms at different times.

The highlight of the museum is probably the Picasso collection with the Guernica as the highlight. Unfortunately you are not allowed to take photos in most of the Picasso section including the Guernica – hence it is a bit difficult to capture the painting properly. The painting on display at the museum is the original – a copy is on display at the United Nation headquarter in front of the Security Council room.

The other main painter on display is Dali which has several amazing paintings on display – and fortunately it is allowed to take photos of these paintings and all other paintings on display.

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The third floor has lesser known painters on display and the fourth floor has various temporary exhibitions. If you are pressed on time just head for the second floor and take in the main highlights which are many so even a quick tour will take a while.

We arrived to the entrance of the museum about half an hour after the opening time – and there was already a line in front of the museum. We didn’t have to wait too long to get in – but while we were waiting the line kept growing. If you are not coming in the early morning you are probably better off buying a ticket online – since you can skip the line if you got a prepaid ticket.