Prado Museum hosted A Night in the Prado Museum on 3 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 05:51 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado) in Madrid hosted A Night in the Prado Museum on 3 October 2026, a special evening opening with selected galleries and music. The programme formed part of a 2026 series supported by the Community of Madrid and Samsung, while the Valeriano D. Bécquer exhibition remained on view until 4 October 2026.
A Night in the Prado Museum brought evening access on 3 October
The event opened different exhibition spaces on the first Saturday of the month. Tourism Madrid listed the programme as free admission, with the evening running from 8.30pm to 11.30pm. The museum provided access through the Jerónimos area, and the city listing named Atocha, Banco de España and Estación del Arte as nearby Metro stations.
The evening combined a selection of works with multimedia projects developed by Samsung and the museum. Radio 3 also took part with a live programme broadcast from the lobby of the Jerónimos Building. The official event listing names the 3 October date, the venue and the programme partners.
The opening also offered a final opportunity to see Valeriano D. Bécquer (1834-1870): The Genre Paintings. The exhibition brought together eight works by the artist and closed on 4 October 2026, making the evening programme and the exhibition's final day a linked weekend for visitors in Madrid. A report by Europa Press identified the exhibition and the evening schedule.
Villanueva building gives the evening programme its setting
The main building was designed by architect Juan de Villanueva in 1785 for a Natural History Cabinet commissioned by Charles III. Its later role as a royal museum of paintings and sculptures led to the first public opening in November 1819.
That history shaped the 3 October programme in a direct way: the event used exhibition rooms within an institution whose original building was not designed as an art museum. The current museum complex later expanded beyond the Villanueva building, including the Jerónimos area used for the Radio 3 broadcast. The museum history records the 1785 design and the 1819 opening.
Visiting Prado Museum: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- A Night in the Prado Museum took place on 3 October 2026 at Prado Museum in Madrid, from 8.30pm to 11.30pm.
- The special evening opening has ended. The Valeriano D. Bécquer exhibition remained available on 4 October 2026, its closing day.
- The venue stands on Paseo del Prado in Madrid. Nearby public transport includes Atocha, Banco de España and Estación del Arte Metro stations, plus Madrid-Atocha local trains.
- The programme covered selected exhibition spaces rather than the entire permanent collection. The Jerónimos Building formed the setting for the Radio 3 broadcast.
- Spain's official language is Spanish and its national currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Prado Museum
When did A Night in the Prado Museum take place?
The evening opening took place on 3 October 2026, from 8.30pm to 11.30pm.
What is Prado Museum?
It is Madrid's national art museum, housed in a building designed by Juan de Villanueva in 1785 and opened to the public in November 1819.
Where is Prado Museum and how do you get there?
It is on Paseo del Prado in Madrid, near Atocha, Banco de España and Estación del Arte Metro stations.
