Spain's Royal Paintings Museum at El Escorial reopens after more than a decade

After more than 11 years behind closed doors, the Painting and Architecture Museums at the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial — the giant 16th-century monastery-palace built by King Philip II — were presented to the press on 1 October 2026 and reopened to the public the next day. Spain's Patrimonio Nacional invested over €3 million, largely financed by European NextGenerationEU funds, to redesign the route through the two museums. Nearly 100 paintings by European old masters including Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese were unveiled, with more than 20 artworks newly added to the permanent display and many others restored. Admission to both museums is free until 31 December 2026 to mark the long-awaited return. The reopening is being hailed as one of the most important Spanish heritage events of the decade, giving public access to a Renaissance interior widely considered the largest in the world. International art media led their 1 October coverage with the news, which also features in the day's top art-news roundups alongside the Louvre security story.