The Prado Launches the Host Project to Transform the Visiting Experience in 2026
The Museo Nacional del Prado has unveiled its main strategy for the year 2026: the Host Project. Miguel Falomir, its director, presented this initiative that aims to radically change the dynamics of visits, shifting from a massified experience to an enriching and serene cultural act 🖼️.
Redistributing the flow of people is the key
The plan does not seek to reduce the total number of people accessing, but to organize their presence more intelligently throughout the day and week. The goal is for no one to feel overwhelmed by crowds, allowing them to enjoy the art calmly.
Central measures of the project:- Manage entry schedules more efficiently to smooth out peak attendance times.
- Incentivize the public to choose less crowded time slots for their visit.
- Optimize suggested routes within the museum to improve circulation through the rooms.
Balancing access for all with preserving the works and the quality of the experience is a common challenge in major art galleries.
A global challenge for cultural institutions
Falomir highlighted that this is a problem shared by the world's most important museums. The Host Project is the Prado's response, a model that aspires to be sustainable. It aims to ensure that the museum maintains its public vocation, but where the art can be perceived as it deserves, without haste.
Concrete objectives of the initiative:- Avoid the visit resembling using public transport during rush hour.
- Recover the deep and unhurried sense of a cultural visit.
- Ensure that the conservation of masterpieces is not compromised by saturation.
Towards a new experience at the Prado
The museum envisions a future where admiring Las Meninas does not involve dodging phones for selfies. Where conversations revolve around Velázquez's technique and not city traffic. With this project, the only line that should matter is the one formed by the characters in the painting, not the one at the entrance. The Prado is preparing to receive its visitors not as a mere container of people, but as a true cultural host 🎭.