Madrid’s cultural scene is vibrant this weekend, offering a diverse array of events as the city embraces the newly illuminated holiday season with a new interactive map to guide visitors. From a retrospective of acclaimed sculptor Juan Muñoz at the Museo Nacional del Prado to theatrical performances and gospel music festivals, a wide range of options are available for residents and tourists alike. Several unique experiences, including a glassblowing workshop and a tech forum, complement the traditional offerings, promising a rich cultural experience through at least sunday.
Madrid is brimming with cultural offerings this weekend, from a retrospective of acclaimed sculptor Juan Muñoz to a festive circus spectacular. Theatergoers can catch a new adaptation of Duncan Macmillan’s “People, Places and Things,” while music fans can experience the 31st edition of the Grandes del Góspel festival. A glassblowing workshop, a tech and ideas forum, and a dance piece inspired by Dante’s Inferno round out a diverse lineup of events, all running through at least Sunday.
Various Locations
Following the illumination of Cibeles Plaza on November 22nd, Madrid is fully embracing the holiday season. A new Geoportal map makes it easier than ever to discover the city’s dazzling light displays. The map details the decorations on each street, highlighting new and renovated features, and helps visitors plan a route to the most iconic and photogenic spots.
From strings of lights and arches to designs by Spanish creators, the map allows for a complete and organized exploration of Madrid’s festive atmosphere.
Museo Nacional del Prado. C/ Felipe IV, s/n
The Museo Nacional del Prado is currently hosting an exhibition dedicated to the work of Madrid-born sculptor Juan Muñoz, open until March 8th. The show occupies both the Jerónimos and Villanueva buildings and spans the different stages of his career.
Muñoz, a recipient of the National Prize for Plastic Arts, maintained his studio in Madrid while also working with international institutions like the Tate Modern in London. Vicente Todolí, former director of the British museum, served as the exhibition’s curator.
The artist was known for his storytelling through sculpture, installations, painting, sound, and text. Heavily influenced by Baroque and Renaissance art, his work invites audiences to participate in scenes filled with psychological tension, illusion, and theatricality.
The exhibition ‘Juan Muñoz. Historias de arte’ brings together sculptures, figures, drawings, prints, canvases, and vitrine-artifacts. Many pieces are displayed alongside the museum’s permanent collection, emphasizing the artist’s connection to the Prado and the masters within its walls.
Teatro Circo Price. Ronda de Atocha, 35
The Circo Price en Navidad cycle is debuting Sueña despierto, a show for all ages that invites young audiences on an adventure beginning with a school trip that ends at an abandoned circus. With the help of forest animals, the audience discovers that the holiday spirit can be found in unexpected places.
Acrobatics, balancing acts, shadow plays, juggling, magic, clowns, aerial numbers, children’s choirs, and live music with original songs all contribute to this production, which will run through January 6th.
Teatro Español. C/ Príncipe, 25
The Teatro Español is premiering Personas, lugares y cosas, by British playwright Duncan Macmillan. Pablo Messiez adapted and directs the play, with Irene Escolar starring as Emma.
After collapsing onstage, Emma enters a detox clinic and navigates the line between reality and imagination alongside fellow patients and professionals. The play explores themes of identity, addiction, and the boundaries between acting and being – issues that already haunted the protagonist each time she took the stage.
Teatro Fernán Gómez. Plaza de Colón, 4
The Grandes del Góspel festival returns to the Teatro Fernán Gómez. Centro Cultural de la Villa, running until December 13th under the direction of Luis Manjarrés. The event features prominent figures in the gospel genre, known for the powerful vocals of its choirs and its roots in African American tradition and spiritual music.
Tickets for the Madrid Gospel Choir are sold out, but you can still see the iconic Charleston Gospel Choir tomorrow, Friday, and throughout the weekend. They will repeat their performance the following weekend, alongside other top groups completing the program.
Espacio Abierto. C/ Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena, 20
Master glassblower Diego Rodríguez is offering a workshop at Espacio Abierto Quinta de los Molinos to teach the technique of glassblowing. Reaching temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees, this ancient technique, possibly originating in Asia, is still used today to create many everyday objects.
Throughout the weekend, in various sessions starting at 11:00, both children and adults can experience the art of shaping molten glass firsthand.
Matadero Madrid. Paseo de la Chopera, 14
The festival ‘Open Lab: futuros raros’ opens today, Thursday, and runs through Sunday at various locations within Matadero Madrid. Organized by Medialab Matadero, the festival culminates the ‘LAB 4 Futuros Raros’ program developed throughout the year.
Various talks and project presentations will address the role of technology in the social imagination, protocols, infrastructures, and policies. In addition to the conferences, there will be musical performances and audiovisual projections.
CentroCentro. Plaza de Cibeles, 1
The third floor of CentroCentro is hosting a joint exhibition, Tirarse es sinónimo de futuro desconocido, featuring the work of emerging artists Sofía Briales, Mario Manso, Isabel Merchante, and Ángel Sevilla, all born between 1998 and 2004. The show includes installations and paintings.
The title, taken from a phrase by writer Carmen Rotger, alludes to embracing the unknown future. The exhibition explores this idea through experimental art and reflects the creative drive of this new generation.
Centro Danza Matadero. Paseo de la Chopera, 14
Award-winning choreographer and dancer Mario Bermúdez Gil presents Averno at Centro Danza Matadero. He directs and choreographs the piece, working with playwright Isabel Vázquez. Marcat Dance produces the show in co-production with the International Itálica Dance Festival, with support from the Junta de Andalucía and INAEM.
Marcat Dance, founded by Bermúdez and Catherine Coury—who is responsible for rehearsals—will also perform the work. Both will take the stage with five dancers to bring to life, through contemporary dance, a piece full of symbols and references to Inferno, the first part of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy.
And there’s more on the cultural agenda for those looking for things to do in Madrid this weekend…
This is the last week to enjoy the ‘Festival Internacional JAZZMADRID 2025’. CINETECA MADRID will host the ‘XV Festival Internacional de Cine de Madrid Márgenes’, dedicated to contemporary cinema, as well as a cycle on older films like ‘Los mundos animados de Ub Iwerks’ with shorts related to the creator of Mickey Mouse, which younger audiences will enjoy. And continuing at Matadero Madrid for a slightly older audience, you can visit ‘Omnibus. El futuro se dibuja aquí’. Elsewhere, Planetario Madrid, continuing its ‘Singularities’ cycle, will host the conference ‘Marte más cerca: ciencia, mujeres y sostenibilidad en la exploración espacial’. Finally, the Sala de Exposiciones Condeduque is hosting an exhibition of the finalists of the ‘40º Premio de Pintura BMW’.
