MADRID.- Visitors to the Prado Museum will soon notice a quieter, more intimate atmosphere when exploring one of the world’s most celebrated collections of art. In an effort to improve the overall visitor experience and ease congestion in its galleries, the Museo Nacional del Prado announced that it will reduce the maximum size of visitor groups from 30 to 20 people.

The change, which takes effect immediately, reflects the museum’s ongoing effort to balance its growing popularity with the need to protect both the artworks and the quality of the visit. Groups that were already scheduled under the previous rules will still be honored until June 1, 2026.

Museum officials say the measure is designed to create a more comfortable flow of visitors throughout the building. By limiting group size and encouraging tours during quieter periods of the day, the Prado hopes to reduce crowding in its galleries and allow visitors more time and space to engage with the artworks.

According to the museum, group tours represent a significant portion of its audience. On an average day, around 1,609 visitors arrive as part of organized tours, accounting for roughly 16.6 percent of the museum’s total attendance.

Marina Chinchilla, deputy director of the institution, said the adjustment will benefit both visitors and guides. Smaller groups, she explained, allow participants to interact more closely with the artworks and create a more meaningful experience inside the galleries.

“Reducing the number of people in each group improves the quality of the visit,” Chinchilla said, noting that guides will also be able to communicate more effectively with participants.

The new rules will also continue to apply differently depending on the type of visit. Temporary exhibitions will maintain a maximum group size of 15 people, although the museum has left open the possibility of reducing that number in the future. Educational groups, meanwhile, will continue to be allowed up to 30 participants.

Alongside the changes to group tours, the Prado is encouraging visitors to purchase general admission tickets online. Buying tickets in advance allows visitors to enter the museum directly without stopping at the ticket counters, helping streamline the arrival process and reduce waiting times.

Individual visitors will also benefit from the museum’s timed entry system, which distributes arrivals throughout the day. Tickets are organized into 15-minute entry windows, helping prevent large surges of visitors at any one moment.

These reservations can be made through the museum’s online access platform known as Puerta Digital, developed with the support of Telefónica, a long-time benefactor of the institution. The system allows visitors to select the time slot that best fits their schedule.

Beyond logistical changes, the Prado is also introducing new thematic routes designed to encourage visitors to explore parts of the museum that are often overlooked. These alternative itineraries offer fresh ways of discovering the collection and highlight works that may not always receive the same attention as the museum’s most famous masterpieces.

Among the newly proposed routes are “El Prado in the feminine (I, II and III),” which focuses on the presence of women in the museum’s collection and history, “A botanical walk through the Prado,” exploring the role of plants and nature in painting, and “Reflections of the cosmos in the Prado,” which examines astronomical imagery and symbolism in art.

These curated paths guide visitors through galleries, artworks, and historical contexts that reveal new perspectives on the museum’s holdings.

In another step aimed at improving accessibility, the Prado will begin installing QR codes next to the labels of major artworks. By scanning the codes with a smartphone, visitors will be able to access explanations written in “easy-to-read” formats, making the information more accessible to a broader audience.

Together, the measures reflect the Prado’s evolving approach to managing one of the world’s most visited museums—ensuring that even as visitor numbers grow, the experience of standing in front of a masterpiece remains personal, immersive, and memorable.