★★★★★ 5.0
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Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum
This palace was built in 1805—that's 187 years before it became a museum in 1992. Spain's government paid 350 million dollars to fill THIS building on Paseo del Prado with one man's private art collection. Architect Rafael Moneo completely redesigned what's inside, creating a secret central patio that floods three entire floors with natural light. Walk in and you'll find nearly 1,000 paintings from the 13th to 20th centuries filling the EXACT artistic gaps the famous Prado Museum deliberately left empty.
Did You Know?
- : The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum is part of Madrid’s 'Golden Triangle of Art,' alongside the Prado and Reina Sofía, but uniquely fills the gaps in their collections by showcasing rare Italian primitives, Dutch Golden Age genre scenes, and early American art—making it the only museum in Spain where you can see masterpieces from Duccio di Buoninsegna, Van Gogh, and Canaletto under one roof.
- The museum’s interior walls are painted a distinctive salmon pink, chosen personally by Baroness Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza. She famously protested against city redevelopment plans in 2006, arguing that changes to the surrounding area could harm the museum’s appearance and the delicate artworks inside.
- A special 'Family Trail' invites children to explore the museum with a playful detective game, searching for hidden details in paintings—like finding the cat in Carpaccio’s 'Young Knight in a Landscape' or spotting the tiny figures in Canaletto’s bustling cityscapes, making art discovery fun and interactive for young visitors.