Canarian Museum

The Canarian Museum

The Las Palmas audio-guided tour takes you past the Canarian Museum, one of the most interesting museums on the island. In the heart of the historic Vegueta district, it tells, through eleven rooms, the history of the archipelago and its first inhabitants.

Meeting the Guanches

Founded at the end of the 19th century, the Canarian Museum is the largest centre specialising in Canarian culture. Its archaeological collections bring together objects, mummies, skeletons and skulls that make it possible to trace the ancestral customs of the islands. They offer precious testimony about the Guanches, the aboriginal people who inhabited the archipelago for centuries, before the arrival of the Catholic Monarchs in the 15th century.

What there is to see

The museum's eleven rooms unfold the history of the Canaries before the conquest, through a remarkable archaeological collection. The remains of the Guanches, presented with seriousness, shed light on a way of life long isolated from the rest of the world. The shop, set in a magnificent former library, adds to the charm of the visit, which pairs nicely with the discovery of Vegueta.

Practical information

The Canarian Museum is in the historic Vegueta district, in the centre of Las Palmas. The visit is ticketed; hours and prices vary by season, so it is best to check in advance. The museum can easily be combined with a walk through the neighbouring lanes of the old town.

Who were the Guanches ?

They were the aboriginal people of the Canaries, of Berber origin, who inhabited the archipelago for centuries before the 15th-century conquest.

What does the Canarian Museum present ?

A rich archaeological collection on the Guanches and the history of the islands before the conquest, spread across eleven rooms.