Fun Indoor Activities for Kids in Madrid: Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

  In my on-going quest to find fun, indoor activities for kids in Madrid*, I present to you the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

Is this museum kid-friendly? I would argue, yes, slightly more so than the Prado in the sense that the art is more interesting for kids. 

Where: Super convenient to the Estación de Arte metro stop. 

Cost: Free for kids! Rather expensivo for adults--12 euros. 

Logistics: Keep your ticket! I had multiple museum guards ask to see my ticket. The ticket counter doesn't tell you to hang on to your ticket, but--make sure you do.

The museum does not offer paper maps anymore (?!) and the internet was not working when I was there so....maybe download a PDF of the museum map before going. The signage is pretty lacking, but the museum guards are very helpful at providing directions. Guernica is on the 2nd floor. 

The museum cafeteria is very cool and has this David Lynch red spaceship vibe. However, you have to exit the museum and walk across a little courtyard to get there--so keep your ticket on you if you want to go back into the museum after your snack.

 

The air-conditioning is fine, some parts of the museum are cooler than others (the glass elevators are pretty darn hot). The walls of the building are incredibly thick which probably helps with the heat.

IMPORTANT NOTE as of July 2025: the museum does not allow visitors to bring in water bottles. Not even sealed plastic water bottles in a bag. (I don't know what their empty water bottle policy is.) The guards will check your bag and you will see a pile of water bottles outside the entrance. Which really sucks because I couldn't find any drinking fountains inside the museum and some of us get thirsty when running after a preschooler. 

Fun for Preschoolers rating: 6/10. That's right, it's more fun for kids then the Prado. I think it's the art--it's very modern and some of it is rather interactive. Don Loco was especially mesmerized by this one room (Mapa Teatro: Los Incontados, 2014/2021) that looked like a trashed party with videos projected onto the walls and instruments that played with unseen hands. 

That said, this museum seems very anti-small kids visiting. I had a guard ask me to hold my kid's hand in the exhibit, some other guards have followed us around. Somewhat tense experience, but whatever. You will not see many kids under 12 at the museum. 

Very Cool Art (this picture really does not do the installation justice)

Yes, there are elevators (really cool glass elevators that have a great view over Madrid). But the stairs were also a great attraction...all 6 floors (?)