You CANNOT go in and out of Prado Museum

I am not sure if the Prado is doing timed entries, but in Paris when the museums went to timed entries during Covid you were then restricted to one visit per entry ticket.

For myself, I think any information written pre-Covid needs to be verified on a venue's website.

I wish when people on the forum are giving advice they would mention if they have traveled to a place post-Covid. So many small things have changed!

Thanks for posting your current experience!

Yes, the Prado does timed entry. Although he told me when I asked if I could leave and return that if I wanted, I could come later in the day instead.

At least this posts do have dates on them, but I still can’t see the logic about not allowing return entries because of Covid. Because nothing else is done for it anymore here.

I think it is just the museums have figured out timed entries are a good way to control crowds and perhaps even things out over the day.

Not allowing return entries has very little to do with Covid. It has to do with large tour groups who only bought 5 tickets for an entire bus load of people and then shared these tickets between them.
This abuse has lead to most (all?) major museums no longer allowing return entries.

There is a rules for visiting the museum document that specifically states that tickets are non-transferable and good for only one use (entry). Unfortunately for non-Spanish speakers that document is in Spanish.

Good to know, I've made a note of this for my upcoming visit. Thanks!

News to me... we have never had this in Catalonia, unless you have a "season pass" sort-of ticket for that site (ie. Gaudir+ in Barcelona), you can only enter once with the same ticket.

You can always get the National Museum Pass, you get 1 year of free entry to the Prado, Reina Sofia, Cerralbo, MAN archeology, etc., if multiple visits are important. I went Spain twice in one year so I ended up getting 4 Prado visits, two Reina Sofia visits, and many other museums for 36 euros.

https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/visit/opening-hours-and-ticket-prices/annual-membership

This so-called "National Museum Pass" being sold in Madrid.... doesn't work in Catalonia, for any museum. The word "national" seems pompous and misleading.

Anyway, regarding "annual passes" or "multi-museum passes", to anyone visiting Barcelona:

• https://articketbcn.org/
• https://bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com/shopv3/en/product/1/barcelona-card.html
• https://www.barcelona.cat/gaudirmes/en/ -technically it is designed for residents, but de facto, it is open to non-residents too (the registration process though is a bit confusing -I believe it is so, on purpose).

WARNING
Any online search will yield several websites offering "Barcelona passes" -other than the official Tourism Office at barcelonaturisme.com- claiming to function as a sort of "multipass". These companies, many of which are even located abroad (in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands mostly), are simply middlemen that have manually grouped several tickets into a pass of their own but more often than not, elude taking responsibility for any "problem" that might arise using it at any site. Furthermore, their "passes" often charge a (hefty) premium for something anyone can easily do him/herself pre-booking online. So, for any "pass", either buy directly to the Tourism Office, or book yourself online the sites you need. You'll safe money and will avoid being taken for a ride.

I've been to museums around the world, and I have never thought to return later in the day with the same entrance ticket. That is also not allowed for concerts, and many other activities in which I participate.

Yes, I agree the opportunity for fraud and abuse of tickets is much higher these days, and crowd control can be a real challenge.
Institutions have to guard against chaos at all levels.

If I had young children that had no appreciation of visiting museums or looking at art, I would surely find a babysitter so they would not disturb me, or especially, other patrons. Bribing children with treats is not necessarily a healthy solution.

Of course, the Prado offers free admission to children, has a special children's map and packet at the information desk, and will arrange a special children-centered family tour (at a cost).

By the way, I use all forum posts as points of reference only, but I always verify my travel facts with the actual site I am going to visit.

Returning to museums later in the day has definitely been allowed at other museums I’ve been to in the states, so I didn’t think anything of it when I read it was allowed for the Prado five years ago.

My children are teenagers, so I was mostly joking about bribing them. Really it is that they have teenager appetites and wanted more food, but I wanted to see more of the museum. They are definitely the age where I wanted them to see the museum, not stay home, and also old enough that I could let them sit and eat a snack while I continued wandering. They were just perfectly satisfied after two hours, and I could’ve gone all day.

I was hoping to share information so others don’t have a similar unpleasant surprise based on reading older posts, not receive criticism on my parenting.

Thanks for the helpful information. It sounds like you and your teens worked things out, and it’s great that they got to appreciate the art.