Museo Elder de la Ciencia y la Tecnología

About the museum

The Museo Elder de la Ciencia y la Tecnología opened on 10 December 1999 in Santa Catalina park, near the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It occupies a late 19th-century building that belonged to the British shipping company Elder Dempster Lines, present on the island since 1884, hence the name. The building has about 6,800 m² of floor area and about 4,600 m² of exhibition space.

The museum is arranged over four floors. The ground floor is dedicated to technology; the first floor to physics and biology, and houses the Planetario Paco Sánchez; the second to mathematics and the history of Elder, and the third to science pioneers, Canarian researchers and a 3D cinema. Large historical objects are also on display, among them a steam locomotive from 1885, a naval diesel engine and models of steamships.

To mark its 25th anniversary, in December 2024, exhibitions on the volcanic origin of the islands and on Mars were added, together with a permanent digital humanities exhibition and a butterfly house. The museum now depends on the Government of the Canary Islands and combines its permanent collection with experiences such as the extreme driving simulator, virtual reality on a skyscraper, the mathematics area and the marine laboratory, as well as temporary exhibitions and educational programmes for schools.

Highlights

• Planetario Paco Sánchez
• 3D cinema
• Mathematics area with Archimedes' pool
• Extreme driving simulator and virtual reality experience at 160 m height
• Butterfly house and marine laboratory
• Historic building of the Elder Dempster shipping company

Permanent exhibitions

• Planetario Paco Sánchez – Projections of the night sky over the Canaries, the stars and the universe.
• Área Matemática – Playful, participatory space for discovering mathematics through games.
• De naviera a museo – Tour of the building's history and of the influence of the British presence in the Canaries.

Founded

1999

Operated by

Gobierno de Canarias (Consejería de Turismo y Empleo)

Admission & discounts

The reduced rate is 50% of the general rate. Prices may vary depending on the exhibitions. Online purchases incur a fee charged by the booking platform. Tickets are not exchanged or refunded, except in the event of an exceptional closure. Some experiences, such as the simulator or virtual reality, have their own ticket sales.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The visit is adapted for people with reduced mobility, but wheelchairs and pushchairs cannot access the aircraft, the simulators or the robocoaster. Assistance dogs for people with disabilities are admitted.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The museum offers programmes for early childhood education (ages 3–6) and for primary school, with discovery games throughout the galleries. Pushchairs cannot enter the simulators or the aircraft.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on the Santa Catalina quay, next to Santa Catalina park and close to the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Amenities & dining

• Lockers

There are lockers for belongings; if a bag is too large, staff will direct you to another place.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit