Unlike the other big two art museums, the Thyssen-Bornemisza is a private collection, initially amassed by Baron Heinrich Thyssen and continued by son Hans Heinrich and his fifth wife Carmen Cervera, a former Miss Spain.

The Collection

The Thyssen is the perfect compliment to the Prado and the Reina Sofia, with its stunning array of Impressionist and Expressionist work, Renaissance portraiture and the avant-garde.

The collection is displayed chronologically and provides a fascinating excursion through the history of western European art. It is more accessible than the other two galleries, making it a great introduction to art for younger visitors.

Highlights

Head to the second floor for the medieval and pre-Renaissance period with some stunning religious paintings from Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden. A wonderful collection of Renaissance portraits follows with stand-out contributions from Raphael and Holbein. Successive galleries feature a wonderful collection of greats such as El Greco, Titian, Caravaggio, Canaletto and Luca Giordano.