MADRID, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The emblematic "Golden Mile" of Spanish art which brings together the Prado National Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in the heart of Madrid, will reopen its doors to the public on Saturday after almost three months of enforced closure due to the COVID-19.
The 200-year-old Prado National Museum will be free to visitors on Saturday and Sunday and then only charge half its usual entry price until the middle of September.
As one of the most famous museums in Spain, it will not open all its rooms but has opted to create a special route taking in some of its most famous works, with requirement on social distancing.
"We don't have everyone working, so we can't open all of the museum, but we are going to open part of it which best corresponds to the 19th century and focus on the best-known Grand Masters," explained Prado National Museum's Director Miguel Falomir on Spanish TV network RTVE.
Meanwhile, the Reina Sofia Museum has organized a system to ensure that no more than 30 people can view Pablo Picasso's world-famous "Guernica" at any one time.
The three museums have been prepared for their re-opening by erecting transparent shields to protect workers in the areas with public attention, while they have designated different doors for entry and exit to help maintain the flow of visitors, while protective face-masks and the use of hand gels will be obligatory.
"We are fulfilling all the security needs; limiting visitor numbers, sanitary controls, cleanliness and hygienic measures, barriers where there are the most visitors," Evalio Acevedo, managing director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum told Xinhua.
Spain's Ministry of Culture and Sport confirmed on Thursday that it will be opening the museums under its jurisdiction on June 9, while other museums, such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, opened their doors on Monday as a sign that cultural life is slowly returning to normal in Spain. Enditem
