Museo Nacional Reina Sofía

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is a peculiar museum. It is one of the great international Contemporary Art museums but it has two basic slogans: quality in the choice of the exhibited works and being a communication motor between the artist and the viewer.

To get there I prefer the subway (line 1) even though there are a few parking lots nearby and you can use any of the many bus lines stopping in front of it. It is located in a privileged place, near other great museums like the Thyssen or the Prado.

It was officially inaugurated in 1990 even though the collection was begun by the Bourbon Kings. A museum with such characteristics runs the risk of becoming a warehouse of absurd works. The "breakdown" of art started at the end of the 19th century. With the loss of its colonial power, pessimism started invading Europe and the artists called everything into question. Destroy the ways that had led to chaos was necessary, in the way of essence rediscovery. This is how the Impressionist movement and then Surrealism were born.

In Madrid’s museum circuit, the Reina Sofía is your best option if you want to experience avant-garde art and art from the second half of the 20th century. The renovations and extensions of the facilities undertaken in 2005 greatly improved the museum and added non-museum facilities like cafés, libraries, and stores. The expanded Nouvel building hosts temporary exhibits and art from the late 20th century while the Sabatini building (with its famous panoramic lifts) houses the permanent collection. Aside from Guernica itself, which is a must-see, take a moment to check out the rough sketches Picasso made while preparing the work.

The Reina Sofía museum is one of the most impressive in Madrid and Spain. It is the most important art center of the 20th century in Spain and was officially inaugurated in September 1992. It was created thanks to artistic funds proceeding from the Spanish Museum of Contemporary Art (MEAC in Spanish) and was named in honor to Queen Sofía.

It is in the Paseo del Prado in the center of the capital city, very close to the Prado, in a building of the 18th century. In the entrance there is a very appealing sculpture reminding a women figure. When you go in you enter a beautiful cloister leading you to the different rooms in the museum. The rooms are very similar to modern museums, all white and rather bright.