Since the year 2000, the Prado has quietly added almost a thousand works to its collection — not through fanfare, but through a steady policy of acquisitions, donations and loans. Prado. Siglo XXI is the museum's own audit of that growth, running 9 June to 27 September 2026, included in general admission.
What it is
Curated by Alfonso Palacio and Elena Cenalmor Bruquetas, the exhibition traces more than eighteen centuries of art history through what the Prado has added to its holdings this century — from a monumental Roman Torso of Aphrodite to Joaquín Sorolla's portrait of Manuel B. Cossío and a watercolour by Ramón Gaya, a key figure in Spain's twentieth-century artistic renewal. Rather than a celebratory highlights reel, the show is framed as genuine institutional reflection: what has the Prado corrected, what gaps remain, and where does a nearly 200-year-old museum go from here.
One thread running through the exhibition is a deliberate effort to bring more women artists into the collection — works by Sofonisba Anguissola, Rosa Bonheur, Rosario Weiss and María Blanchard now sit alongside a canon that, for centuries, largely excluded them. Together, the acquisitions on display reveal a museum actively rewriting parts of its own story rather than simply adding to a fixed one.
Why it's worth attending
This is a rare chance to see how a major national museum thinks about itself — not just what it owns, but why it chose to add each piece and what that says about changing ideas of art history. The Torso of Aphrodite alone is reason enough to visit for anyone who thinks of the Prado purely as a painting gallery. Because the exhibition doubles as institutional self-reflection, it leans more analytical than spectacular in places; visitors expecting a single blockbuster masterpiece hang may find a scholarly show woven throughout their normal collection route instead.
Practical info
Dates: 9 June – 27 September 2026. Included in general museum admission: €15 (reduced €7.50 for over-65s, large families and Carnet Joven holders); free for under-18s, students up to 25, and several other categories with valid ID. Half-price for temporary exhibitions during the last two opening hours (Mon–Sat 18:00–20:00, Sun & holidays 17:00–19:00). Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00–20:00; Sunday and public holidays 10:00–19:00. Nearest metro: Estación del Arte (line 1) or Banco de España (line 2).
FAQ
Do I need a separate ticket for this exhibition?
No, it's included in the standard Prado admission ticket alongside the permanent collection.
What period does the exhibition cover?
It spans acquisitions made since the year 2000, though the works themselves range across more than eighteen centuries of art history.
Is entry ever free?
Yes, admission is free for under-18s, students up to 25, the unemployed, active teaching staff, and other accredited groups; general visitors get half-price temporary exhibition entry during the last two hours before closing.
Who curated the exhibition?
Alfonso Palacio and Elena Cenalmor Bruquetas, both of the Museo Nacional del Prado.
Does the show include contemporary art?
Yes, alongside classical and historical works, it includes twentieth-century pieces such as a Sorolla portrait and a Ramón Gaya watercolour.
