Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid

Madrid’s modern and contemporary art museum is famous for Picasso’s renowned antiwar masterpiece, "Guernica." While everyone understandably rushes to see this, spare some time for the extensive galleries of works by modern movements such as surrealism and minimalism. Two large spaces for special exhibitions bring in the top artists of today. Often these are odd, interactive installation pieces. One year we got to walk through a forest of fiber optic cables pulsing various shades of color; another year, a collection of mirrors made it look like we were crawling on the ceiling. Housed in an old hospital, the interior has broad stone staircases, lofty galleries and a little garden in the center. More recent additions include glass elevators up the side (very amusing for children), a sleek metal-and-glass addition for temporary exhibitions, a relaxing restaurant/bar and a large bookshop.

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