The green wall
Plants growing without soil cover the entire side wall of the neighbouring building, visible and photographable from the square without a ticket.
Fernando — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pitxiquin — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pitxiquin — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pitxiquin — CC BY-SA 3.0
A cultural centre inside the Central Electrica del Mediodia, a turn-of-the-century power station reworked by Herzog & de Meuron and opened in 2008. There is no permanent collection: the programme is all temporary exhibitions that rotate several times a year: photography, archaeology, design. What it is worth depends on what is showing that day. The best-known feature is outside: Patrick Blanc's vertical green wall, plants growing without soil across the whole side wall of the building next door. The square in front is open and free, and many photograph it and leave; that is a fair choice. The stone base was removed, so the old brick shell seems to hang above the ground. On the Paseo del Prado, it is minutes on foot from the Prado, the Thyssen and the Reina Sofia. If your days in Madrid are few, those three come first; if you have time left, this is a short, cheap stop that breaks up the classical painting. A visit runs an hour to ninety minutes. There is a cafe and restaurant upstairs, and plenty more around. Nearest Metro: Estacion del Arte on Line 1, formerly called Atocha.
Plants growing without soil cover the entire side wall of the neighbouring building, visible and photographable from the square without a ticket.
Removing the stone plinth left the old brick block appearing to lift off the pavement, with a sheltered space beneath it that you enter through.
A sculpted staircase climbs from the sheltered entrance under the building to the two exhibition floors, with the cafe and restaurant at the top.
Paseo del Prado 36, 28014 Madrid
Museo Reina SofíaThe Reina Sofía is Spain's museum of modern art — its centre of gravity a single3 minutes walk4.6
Museo del PradoThe Prado is one of the three greatest art museums on earth, its treasure unmatc4 minutes walk4.8
Paseo del PradoA tree-lined avenue running between Plaza de Cibeles and Atocha, the oldest plan5 minutes walk4.5
National Museum of AnthropologyThe museum opened in 1875 around the private collection of the physician Pedro G6 minutes walk4.4
House Museum of Lope de VegaThe house in the Barrio de las Letras where Lope de Vega, one of the leading pla7 minutes walk4.8The green wall and the facade are free to see from the square, and plenty of visitors stop at that. Pay only if the exhibition running during your visit genuinely interests you; check the programme on the official site first.
The nearest Metro is Estacion del Arte on Line 1, the stop formerly called Atocha; Atocha Renfe, the mainline rail station, is a few minutes further. Since it sits on the Paseo del Prado itself, the simplest plan is to pair it with the Reina Sofia to the south or the Prado and the Thyssen to the north, all short walks.
There is no permanent children's section, but CaixaForum runs a regular family programme of workshops and family visits alongside the exhibitions, so check the calendar on the official site for the dates of your trip. Under-16s enter free when accompanied by an adult.