Santander Museums

(Santander, Cantabria, Spain)



Photo of the Plaza de ItaliaThere are a serious number of museums within the Santander area, celebrating everything from the prehistoric settlements of Cantabria, to maritime history and Spanish bullfighting.

The Regional Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria (Museo Regional de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de Cantabria) is one of the very best in Santander and features displays chronicling the Upper Paleolithic period. All ages will enjoy a visit to Santander's acclaimed Maritime Museum of Cantabria (Museo Maritimo del Cantábrico), where children will be excited to find a series of aquariums, containing large rays and turtles, and even a number of sharks.


Museo de Altamira (Museum of Altamira)

Address: Barrio de Herrán, Santillana del Mar, Spain, ES
Tel: +34 0942 81 8815
Close to Santander city and located within the historical Cantabrian town of Santillana del Mar, the Museo de Altamira was founded in the late seventies. This museum celebrates all aspects of the Cave of Altamira, which are famed for their cave walls, adorned by prehistoric art works dating back some 15,000 years. A large gallery showcases various aspects of prehistoric life in Altamira and offers an insight into the region's earliest cultures.
Open hours: May to October, Tuesday to Saturday - 09:30 to 20:00, Sunday - 09:30 to 15:00; November to April, Tuesday to Saturday - 09:30 to 18:00, Sunday - 09:30 to 15:00
Admission: charge, discounts for students, children under 18 years old are free, free admission on May 18th (International Museum Day), October 12th (Columbus Day) and December 6th (Constitution Day)

Museo Etnográfico de Cantabria Casa Velarde (Ethnography Museum)

Address: Calle de los Héroes dos de Mayo, Muriedas, Camargo, Spain, ES
Tel: +34 0942 25 1347
Situated around 8 km / 5 miles from Santander and well connected by local buses, the Museo Etnográfico de Cantabria Casa Velarde first opened its doors to the public in the mid-sixties. The Ethnography Museum is housed is a particularly historical 17th-century building, which is actually the birthplace of Spanish artillery captain Pedro Velarde y Santillán (1779 to 1808), who famously lost his life during the Dos de Mayo Uprising. Attractions include an array of antiquities and period furnishings, kitchen paraphernalia and various paintings, which are spread around a total of nine different rooms. Guided tours will ensure that you make the very most of your visit.
Open hours: July to September, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 19:00, Sunday - 11:00 to 14:00; October to June, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 18:00, Sunday - 11:00 to 14:00
Admission: free

Museo Maritimo del Cantábrico (Maritime Museum of Cantabria)

Address: Calle de Muelle de San Martin, Santander, Spain, ES
Tel: +34 0942 27 4962
The nautical history of Santander is on show at the Museo Maritimo del Cantábrico, with many traditional types of Spanish boats presented and ship-building techniques explained, together with cartography collections, marine biology displays, and an explanation of what it is like to be a local fisherman.
Open hours: July to September, Tuesday to Saturday - 11:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 19:00, Sunday - 11:00 to 14:00; October to June, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 18:00, Sunday - 11:00 to 14:00
Admission: free

Museo Regional de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de Cantabria (Regional Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria)

Address: 4 Calle de Casimiro Sainz, Santander, Spain, ES
Tel: +34 0942 20 7109
The Regional Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria is one of the city's leading cultural attractions and boasts a series of exhibitions relating to the Paleolithic age and Cantabria's first settlements. In particular pieces excavated from the Iron Age and the Roman era stand out and are highly renowned in Spain. Also of interest are some giant stone monoliths and countless archaeological treasures from Cantabria and beyond.
Open hours: July to September, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 19:00, Sunday - 11:00 to 14:00; October to June, Tuesday to Saturday - 09:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 19:00, Sunday - 11:00 to 14:00
Admission: free

Museo Taurino (Bullfighting Museum)

Address: Calle de Jerónimo Sainz de la Maza, Santander, Spain, ES
Tel: +34 0942 34 1204
The Museo Taurino can be found on the lower floor of the city's bullring, on the westerly side of Santander and near to the Plaza de México. Established in the late 1980s, the Bullfighting Museum is split into a total of four different themed areas. Look out for the extremely colourful suits worn by bullfighters from across Spain, which are displayed here and really are works of art in their own right. Various Spanish bullfighting memorabilia, posters, photos and paintings are also on exhibit at the Museo Taurino, commemorating famous bullfighting events of the past.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 18:00 to 21:00, Saturday - 11:00 to 14:00
Admission: free

Sala de Exposiciones de la Universidad de Cantabria (Expositions of the University of Cantabria) / Planetario (Planetarium)

Address: 1 Calle de Gamazo, Gamazo 1, Santander, Spain, ES
Tel: +34 0942 31 0161
Close to the Small Port (Puerto Chico) and the Paseo Maritimo, the Sala de Exposiciones de la Universidad de Cantabria provides an important exhibition space in the city and is part of the University of Cantabria complex. Located next to the Festival Palace (Palacio de Festivales), highlights here include photography exhibitions and ethnography exhibits, as well as displays of astronomy and sky shows at the onsite planetarium, where you can learn about the solar system and star constellations.
Open hours: June to September, Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 13:00; October to May, Tuesday and Wednesday - 10:00 to 19:00, Thursday and Friday - 15:00 to 19:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 13:00
Admission: free