Art Museums in Spain

Spain is home to many popular artists including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. The country is a major contributor to European works of art. During a trip to Spain, touring art museums is a must. With so many to choose from, we’ve broken down a list by city of can’t-miss art museums.

Statue of Velazquez, Prado Museum © Alfonsodetomas | Dreamstime

Madrid

Spain’s capital city is home to the largest number of art museums. Perhaps the most well known is Museo Nacional del Prado. The main, national museum hosts an impressive collection of Spanish and European art dating back to the 12^th century. Not far from the Prado is the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. It boasts one of the largest private collections of paintings in the world. The Reina Sofia National Museum rounds out Madrid’s so-called Golden Triangle of Art — with the two aforementioned museums. This museum, built in 1992, specializes in 20^th-century art.

The Pablo Picasso Museum © MaxiSports | Dreamstime

Barcelona

Gaze upon the works of Picasso at Barcelona’s Picasso Museum. The collection includes more than 3,500 early works from the artist. The Catalan National Art Museum features a collection of Catalan art dating back to the 11^th century.

The Guggenheim Museum © Garcef | Dreamstime

Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern and contemporary art. Architect Frank Gehry designed the striking building. The Museo de Bellas Artes houses more than 6,000 works of art, including an impressive collection from Basque artists.