Prado Director Calls for a Ceiling on Crowds, Citing Record 3.5 Million Visitors

Following a record year, the director of Madrid’s Prado Museum has issued a clear directive: the institution does not need a single additional visitor. The museum welcomed 3.51 million people in 2025, a new high that extends a decade of surging attendance. Now, management is actively developing strategies to prevent the kind of overwhelming congestion seen at museums like the Louvre in Paris.

“We cannot become like the Metro at rush hour,” said museum chief Miguel Falomir, emphasizing the need to preserve the experience of viewing works by Velázquez, Goya, and Bosch. The 2025 total represents an increase of over 56,000 from the previous year, and attendance has grown by more than 816,000 since 2015.

The statement signals a shift in priorities from relentless growth to sustainable management. While details of the planned measures are not yet public, the goal is to avoid the pitfalls of over-tourism that can transform a world-class gallery into an overcrowded thoroughfare. The Prado aims to protect both its priceless collections and the quality of a visitor's encounter with them.