Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid

Q: How does it fit with Madrid's other museums?

The three museums form the "Golden Triangle of Art" along the Paseo del Prado. The Thyssen covers what the Prado (Old Masters) and Reina Sofía (modern Spanish) don't. Dutch Golden Age landscapes and American painting are unique to the Thyssen.

Q: What's the collection's history?

Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and his son Hans Heinrich built one of the 20th century's greatest private collections. Spain acquired it in 1993. Chardin's still lifes and Romantic landscapes were among their favorite purchases.

Q: What art movements are covered?

From 13th-century Italian panels to Pop Art. The Thyssen excels at Expressionism (Kirchner, Schiele, Nolde) and has the only significant American painting collection in Madrid. Heade's marsh landscapes represent the American wing.

Q: Is the Thyssen-Bornemisza free?

Mondays are free (noon to 4pm). Otherwise about €13 for the permanent collection. The building on Paseo del Prado is a renovated 18th-century palace. Canaletto's Venice paintings are in the Italian galleries on the second floor.

Madrid, Spain

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Visitor Information

Museum Address

Paseo del Prado 8, 28014 Madrid, Spain

Madrid, Spain

Ticket Prices

€14 (under 18 free)

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Featured Artists

15 artists in database

1Canaletto3 works 2Jacob van Ruisdael3 works 3El Lissitzky2 works 4Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin2 works 5Palma Vecchio2 works

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum opened in 1992, displaying a collection assembled across two generations by the Baron Thyssen family. Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza began collecting in the 1920s, often purchasing from American millionaires devastated by the Depression. His son Hans Heinrich expanded the holdings dramatically, eventually gathering over 1,600 paintings that formed the second-largest private collection after the British Royal Collection. When the family villa in Lugano could no longer accommodate the art, Spain won a competition to host the museum beside the Prado.

The collection fills gaps left by the Prado and Reina Sofía, covering Italian Primitives, German painting, Impressionism, and 20th-century art. Caravaggio's Saint Catherine of Alexandria represents the Baroque. Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin and Jean-Honoré Fragonard showcase Rococo elegance. Paul Gauguin and Post-Impressionist works bridge the 19th and 20th centuries. The Spanish government purchased 775 works in 1993 for $350 million. Together with the Prado and Reina Sofía, the museum forms Madrid's "Golden Triangle of Art."

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid in Madrid, Spain houses 27 masterpieces in our database, including works by Canaletto, Jacob van Ruisdael and El Lissitzky and 12 other artists. Notable works include The Kiss and The Fish Market, Marseille.

Famous Works at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid

Browse 27 notable artworks in our database. Click any work to see details and plan your visit.