MADRID.- The Museo Nacional del Prado commemorates its anniversary with a unique blend of art, culture, and cutting-edge technology, showcasing its commitment to reaching a global audience. Highlighting the celebration is the launch of “The Prado of Babel”, a pioneering project in collaboration with Telefónica that leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) to bring the museum’s collection closer to international visitors. Through this initiative, audiences from countries with significant visitor numbers to the Prado can now hear the Museum Director, Miguel Falomir, speak in their native languages, including English, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, and Polish.

AI-Driven Innovation: The Prado of Babel

“The Prado of Babel” marks the museum’s innovative use of AI for cultural dissemination. Powered by Telefónica’s technological expertise, the project adapts the museum’s online content into the languages of its top international visitors. This initiative allows audiences from the United States, Italy, Brazil, Germany, the UK, Portugal, France, Canada, Australia, and Poland to listen to a brief history of the Prado in their native tongue, voiced by Director Miguel Falomir. Currently available in six languages, the project plans to expand, eventually offering translations for other major collections and schools within the museum.

This initiative underscores the Prado’s commitment to embracing digital tools to make art more accessible. By enabling Director Falomir to “speak” in multiple languages, the museum fosters deeper connections between its masterpieces and audiences worldwide.

Microliterature Contest: "The Prado in 205 Words"

As part of its 205th-anniversary celebrations, the Prado is launching an international microliterature contest, inviting participants to craft stories inspired by one of five selected works from its collection. The contest, aptly named “The Prado in 205 Words”, seeks to expand the reach of the museum’s artistic influence beyond its walls. Winning entries will be displayed alongside the inspiring artworks for three weeks, creating a dynamic dialogue between literature and visual art.

A Year of Growth and Outreach

The Prado has welcomed over 3 million visitors so far this year, a 6.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Of these, nearly 44.5% benefited from free entry. May was the museum’s busiest month, attracting 327,159 visitors.

By embracing AI, fostering global participation in its literary contest, and opening its doors for free on its anniversary, the Prado continues to preserve its legacy while innovating for the future. These efforts underscore its mission to connect people with the transformative power of art and culture, making it a beacon of artistic and technological advancement.