While processions and religious traditions fill the streets of downtown, Semana Santa is also the perfect spring break to enjoy the wide variety of cultural and fun activities to do with children. From contemporary art exhibitions to exciting prehistoric adventures, Madrid becomes a perfect setting for creating family memories.
Joana Vasconcelos’ exhibition at the Palacio de Liria
It’s not always easy to find an exhibition to introduce children to art. Fortunately, during these months the exhibition Flamboyant brings the work of Joana Vasconcelos to the Palacio de Liria in Madrid. The work of this Portuguese artist is monumental, colorful and very attractive, without having to be an art expert. In addition, it is an experience that combines contemporary art with the historical richness of the palace. The exhibition includes more than one hundred extravagant works, such as the iconic Marilyn shoe and the Valkyrie Thyra sculptures. Admission is free every non-holiday Monday at 10:00 a.m., while space is available.
📍Location: Calle de la Princesa, 20 (Centro)
Royal Theater of Retiro
One of the perfect cultural plans for Easter in Madrid is to go to the theater. The Real Teatro de Retiro will have on stage A Fairy Tale: The Tsar Saltan, a work inspired by the opera by Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov. This fairy tale with live music is perfect for families looking for an afternoon of fantasy and magic. During that week there are performances scheduled for Saturday April 19 and Sunday April 20.
📍 Location: Real Teatro de Retiro
Musicals for children
Musicals are already a classic of the most entertaining cultural offerings in the capital, but among so many offerings they could be divided by age. The youngest children will be able to sing on April 17 and 18 with Elsa’s Dreams, a tribute to Frozen at the Harlequin Theater. While other classics -in musical format, of course- such as Peter Pan or Los Chicos del Coro will be in Madrid theaters until May.
📍Location: several theaters in Madrid
A chance to have fun with the FRIENDS™ scenarios .
Can this be the typical trap activity that parents are looking forward to experience… more than children? Can this be the typical gift you give when really what you want is to enjoy it yourself? Maybe. But it’s definitely one of the experiences of the season. The FRIENDS™ Experience: The One in Madrid has just opened in the city as a giant reproduction of the sets of the iconic 90’s series. Inside, the little ones will be able to reproduce the scenes (as their parents tell them, of course) and have a blast playing a game of pool with Joey and Chandler.
📍Location: Pavilion 14.1 Recinto Ferial IFEMA Madrid
💸 Tickets: for children between 4 and 15 years old, 9€.
Treasures of Egypt Exhibition
The exhibition Treasures of Egypt at the Tomás y Valiente Art Center in Fuenlabrada is one of the largest exhibitions dedicated to Egyptian civilization in Spain. It offers more than 140 reproductions of masterpieces, including the statue of Pharaoh Khafre and the funerary mask of Tutankhamun. Visitors can learn to write their name in hieroglyphics, which makes it especially attractive to children. In addition, admission is completely free, making it an ideal activity for families interested in exploring the fascinating history of Egypt through recreations of Egyptian tombs and temples.
📍Location: Tomás y Valiente Art Center (Fuenlabrada)
Torrijas
Traditional and modern Torrijas in MadridA good way to introduce children to the traditions of Easter is through sweets, and torrijas are the star of the season. One of the best torrijas in Madrid is not in the capital but in El Escorial, specifically in Paco Pastel. Specifically, they have one of the premises located a few meters from the Casita del Príncipe, a hunting lodge of the eighteenth century surrounded by gardens that is especially beautiful at this time of year. This plan is a perfect cultural 2 x 1 for the little ones of the house.
📍Location: several pastry shops in Madrid
Banksy Museum
This new exhibition space is located in the heart of Madrid and contains 1500 square meters of urban art. Through 170 replicas and information panels, the Banksy Museum pays tribute to and explains the chronology and history of one of the most important street artists of today. A didactic, entertaining and surprising way to see a compilation of the artist’s works and teach children that graffiti can also be art.
📍 Location: Paseo de la Esperanza, 1 (Arganzuela)
💸 Price: [trackLink link_url=”https://feverup.com/m/274138″]between 7 and 12 years old, 8,50 €; between 13 and 25, 11€[/trackLink].