Museo y Parque Arqueológico Cueva Pintada

About the museum

The Cueva Pintada is a chamber decorated with mural paintings inside a large pre-Hispanic settlement in the historic centre of Gáldar, the former Agáldar. After an intervention in 1970, which showed that the later agricultural terraces had respected the archaeological levels, and in view of the written sources from the 14th to the 16th century, excavations began in 1987. Since then fifteen campaigns have been carried out over more than 6,000 m².

The excavations uncovered a settlement of more than sixty houses and artificial caves around the decorated chamber. Dating places the site between the 6th and 16th centuries. After the conquest the indigenous settlement persisted for some time until it was abandoned; in the 18th century the land was adapted for agriculture, and from the second half of the 19th century it was converted into terraces.

The paintings were made on a wall prepared with mortar and a layer of clay, using red and white mineral pigments; the black is the natural darkening of the tuff. The polychrome friezes of the chamber are the most complex example of indigenous mural painting in Gran Canaria, and some researchers interpret them as a lunar and solar calendar.

The museum and archaeological park reopened on 26 July 2006, after more than twenty years of recovery work. It is now run by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria; the route is made on walkways, and the museum has educational and accessibility programmes.

Highlights

• Polychrome chamber of the Cueva Pintada
• Pre-Hispanic settlement of more than sixty houses and artificial caves
• Route along walkways over the site
• Tactile visit and audio-described guided tour
• Guided tours in Spanish, English, German and French

Permanent exhibition

• Museo y poblado prehispánico – Route through the decorated chamber of the Cueva Pintada and the pre-Hispanic settlement of more than sixty houses and artificial caves, with audiovisuals and pieces from the site.

Founded

2006

Operated by

Cabildo de Gran Canaria

Director

José Ignacio Sáenz Sagasti

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every Sunday of the year and on 18 April, 18 and 30 May, 25 and 26 July and 27 September, unless they are closing days. Free tickets are collected at the museum on the same day until capacity is reached (maximum two per person) and cannot be booked in advance, except for educational, social and cultural groups.

School groups, unemployed people, teaching staff, accredited guides and holders of the ICOM, MAV and Hispania Nostra cards also enter free. Cash payment is not accepted at the museum: tickets are bought online.

Accessibility

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

The route is made on walkways, with lifts and wide doors, and no architectural barriers. There is an audio-described guide, an audio-described guided tour, a tactile tour with reproductions, a guided tour with a sign-language interpreter (advance notice recommended) and subtitles on the audiovisuals. People with reduced mobility, those over 65 and pregnant women have priority access.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

“Cueva Pintada en familia”: from September to June, one Saturday a month from 10:00 to 13:00, with a route led by the museum staff through the museum and the site, and workshops (clay modelling, painting, archaeology, plants, gofio). Registration at reception or on +34 928 895 489 (ext. 3).

Getting there & parking

Gáldar is 27 km from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 50 km from Gran Canaria airport and less than 9 km from the port of Las Nieves, in Agaete.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

Free wifi: the username and password are requested at the information point. Shop and bookshop at reception, a left-luggage office and lockers at the entrance, and charging points for mobiles and e-scooters at reception.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit