The Prado surprises in 2026 with unprecedented exhibitions of queens, artists and photographers

The Prado is preparing twelve unique exhibitions in 2026. Mariana de Austria and Ricardo de Madrazo feature in unprecedented shows. Photography and the museum's evolution will also be a focus. Discover the dates and details of each event. Art and history go hand in hand in Madrid.

The Museo del Prado de Madrid is not slowing down in 2026 and announces a programme of twelve exhibitions that explore everything from 17th-century royalty to pioneering photography and the transformation of the museum itself. Among the most eagerly awaited shows are those dedicated to Mariana de Austria, Ricardo de Madrazo and 19th-century photography.

The exhibition on Mariana de Austria, opening on 1 December, will be the Prado's first to focus on a major female patron. The show will bring together around 100 works to examine how the queen and her court painters constructed her public image at a key moment for the Spanish monarchy, marked by the decline of the Empire and the end of the Habsburg dynasty. The exhibition will make it possible to understand how Mariana reinterpreted the visual legacy of her ancestors to consolidate her power.

Another first will arrive on 19 October: the first monographic exhibition on Ricardo de Madrazo, the least-known member of a family of artists. The Prado will bring together his sketchbooks, drawings and watercolours, showing the diversity of his work and his travels through Spain, Europe and North Africa. The exhibition, the result of years of acquisitions, will continue until 2027.

For those wishing to discover the museum's recent evolution, the exhibition “Prado. 21st Century”, from 9 June to 27 September, will review the last 25 years through acquisitions, comparisons and objects that reflect institutional transformation, conservation and its relationship with the public. Visitors will be able to learn at close hand about the internal workings of one of the world's great art galleries.

German art will also have its place with the exhibition dedicated to Hans Baldung Grien, which will run from 24 November to 7 March. The Prado will show two panels by the artist, “Harmony (The Three Graces?)” and “The Ages and Death”, in a context exploring the artistic landscape of his final years. In addition, details will be revealed about the restoration and technical findings made during the preparation of the exhibition.

Photography will take centre stage between 13 April and 5 July with an exhibition tracing artists' lives through images from the 19th century and early 20th century. The Prado will bring together professional, anonymous and amateur portraits documenting creators in their intimate and working spaces, paying tribute to those who knew how to capture reality and preserve the visual memory of art.