The head of the Prado has said the Madrid art museum does not need \u201ca single visitor more\u201d after it welcomed a record 3.5 million people last year, adding that plans are being drawn up to ensure it does not become a victim of its own success like the Louvre in Paris.<\/p>\n
In 2025 the Prado, which is home to such masterpieces as Vel\u00e1zquez\u2019s Las Meninas and Hieronymus Bosch\u2019s The Garden of Earthly Delights, was visited by 3,513,402 people, an increase of more than 56,000 from the previous year. Visitor numbers<\/a> have risen by more than 816,000 over the past decade.<\/p>\n While some museum bosses would be toasting such a success, the Prado\u2019s director, Miguel Falomir, is treating it with caution. \u201cThe Prado doesn\u2019t need a single visitor more,\u201d he told a press conference on Wednesday. \u201cWe feel comfortable with 3.5 million. A museum\u2019s success can collapse it, like the Louvre, with some rooms becoming oversaturated. The important thing is not to collapse.\u201d<\/p>\n Detail from The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) in the Prado. Photograph: Album\/Alamy<\/p>\n Falomir said the museum had embarked on a new project, called Plan Host, to prioritise quality over quantity and to try to improve or at least maintain visitors\u2019 museum experience.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can\u2019t be like catching the Metro at rush hour,\u201d said the director, who has been in his post since 2017. \u201cYou can\u2019t judge a museum on visitor numbers. The quantity isn\u2019t as important as the quality; there should be a diverse and inclusive range of visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n Sixty-five per cent of the Prado\u2019s visitors last year were from overseas. Photograph: Alex Segre\/Alamy<\/p>\n Falomir said 65% of visitors last year were from overseas and he would like to see more Spaniards taking advantage of one of the country\u2019s greatest cultural treasures. Among the plans for improving the quality of visits are optimising entrances to the museum, rethinking the size of visiting groups, and making sure people know they are not allowed to take photos in the galleries.<\/p>\n The Louvre made non-heist-related headlines<\/a> a year ago when its director said in a leaked memo that visiting the museum was \u201ca physical ordeal\u201d<\/a>. Laurence des Cars said: \u201cVisitors have no space to take a break. The food options and restroom facilities are insufficient in volume, falling below international standards. The signage needs to be completely redesigned.\u201d<\/p>\n