Thyssen: 8 Centuries of Art

What you'll see. The route runs in time order. The second floor opens with early Italian and Flemish panels and moves through the Renaissance and Baroque; the first floor covers Dutch painting, Impressionism and Expressionism; and the lower floors bring you into the 20th century. The Carmen Thyssen rooms, in the 2004 wing, add more 19th-century landscapes and Impressionists.

The collection's story. Two generations of the Thyssen-Bornemisza family built it from the 1920s onwards. It went on show here in 1992, in the Palacio de Villahermosa remodelled by Rafael Moneo, and Spain bought it the following year. It complements the Prado, with the schools the royal collection lacked: early Italian, Dutch, German and American painting.

The audio guide. Audio guide included, and access details are sent with your ticket. Under-18s enter the Thyssen free, so the child price covers the audio guide and the reserved time slot. Allow two hours, more if a temporary exhibition is on.

Plan your visit. We sell Tuesday to Sunday. On Mondays the museum opens only from 12:00 to 16:00, with free entry to the permanent collection, so it gets crowded. The entrance is at Paseo del Prado 8, facing the Neptune fountain, five minutes on foot from Banco de España metro and from the Prado.