MADRID.- Samsung Electronics Iberia and the Museo Nacional del Prado have launched Photo Prado, a new mobile application that uses artificial intelligence to give visitors a personalized photographic memory of their visit without disrupting the museum experience.
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Presented as part of the exhibition Prado. 21st Century, the initiative reflects the museums ongoing effort to improve the quality of the visitor experience while protecting the atmosphere of its galleries. Since photography is not allowed inside the exhibition rooms, Photo Prado offers a creative alternative: visitors can take home a digital image of themselves integrated into some of the Prados most iconic spaces, artworks and visual worlds.
The app is free, available in Spanish and English for iOS and Android, and can only be used inside the Museo del Prado. Visitors activate it by scanning a QR code at one of two designated Photo Prado points, located in the entrance hall and next to the museum shop.
Once inside the app, visitors can choose from three different experiences: masterpieces, Prado paradises and artistic selfie backgrounds. The resulting image includes a special date stamp, turning each photograph into a personal record of the day of the visit.
Photo Prado forms part of the museums Host Program, launched at the beginning of 2026 to improve visitor flow and avoid overcrowding in the galleries. In a museum that receives more than three and a half million visitors a year, the application is designed to help guests preserve a personal memory of their visit without encouraging phone use, congestion or distractions in front of the works of art.
The Masterpieces option places visitors in the Prado galleries where some of the museums best-known works are displayed. The selection includes Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, The Drowning Dog by Francisco de Goya, Christ Washing the Disciples Feet by Tintoretto, Titians The Andrians and Worship of Venus, The Descent from the Cross by Rogier van der Weyden, and other highlights from the collection. Samsung device users also have access to exclusive options, including Goyas The Family of Charles IV and Orestes and Pylades, also known as the Group of San Ildefonso.
The Paradises experience integrates the visitors image into details from works that imagine different visions of paradise, including Boschs The Garden of Earthly Delights and Joachim Patinirs The Crossing of the Styx. Samsung users can also access Jan Brueghel the Youngers The Earthly Paradise.
A third option, Selfie, creates a digital self-portrait using artistic backgrounds inspired by the Prados collection. These include a Bosch-inspired background, as well as a Spanish still-life background available exclusively for Samsung devices.
The technology behind the app uses artificial intelligence to detect the visitors presence and position, generate a segmentation mask around the silhouette, and confirm that the image is being captured only in the areas authorized by the museum. The system then places the visitor into the selected background, adjusting proportion, scale and orientation to create a realistic composition.
Miguel Falomir, director of the Museo Nacional del Prado, said the initiative once again brings technology into the museum in a respectful way, enriching the visitor experience while offering a personal memory of the visit.
Elena Fernández Angulo, CMO of Samsung Electronics Iberia, described Photo Prado as an example of how artificial intelligence can be applied responsibly to create personalized cultural experiences, placing technology at the service of people and artistic heritage.
With Photo Prado, Samsung and the Museo Nacional del Prado strengthen their shared commitment to cultural access, innovation and the responsible use of technology. The project presents the Prado as a museum connected to the habits and expectations of 21st-century audiences, while making clear that digital tools can enhance a cultural visit without replacing the irreplaceable experience of seeing art in person.