Museo Nacional y Centro de Investigación de Altamira
State museum next to the Altamira cave, with an exhibition on the Upper Palaeolithic and the Neocave, a replica of the ceiling with polychrome paintings.
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Over het museum
The museum's history begins in 1924, when an administrative board was set up to manage the Altamira cave. The first building was a Cantabrian-style house built to display the objects found during the excavations and to accommodate the first cave warden. As visitor numbers grew from the mid-20th century, three reception pavilions and a café were built in the 1970s. In 1979 the Ministry of Culture created the Museo Nacional y Centro de Investigación de Altamira as a scientific and administrative body to manage the cave more effectively and guarantee its conservation.
The current building opened in 2001 and was designed by the architect Juan Navarro Baldeweg. The protection of the cave was the main factor determining its location, design and construction. Today it is a state museum, part of the Directorate General for Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture.
The permanent exhibition, “Los tiempos de Altamira”, covers the discovery of cave art by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola, prehistoric archaeology, the evolution before Altamira, the everyday life of hunter-gatherers and the first art. It is complemented by the Neocave, a three-dimensional reproduction of the cave as it was between 35,000 and 13,000 years ago, with its bison, horses, deer and painted and engraved signs.
Hoogtepunten
- Neocave: three-dimensional replica of the Altamira cave and its polychrome ceiling
- Permanent exhibition “Los tiempos de Altamira”
- Cave art and portable art from the Upper Palaeolithic
- Building by the architect Juan Navarro Baldeweg, opened in 2001
- Free admission on Saturday afternoons and Sundays
Vaste collectie
- Los tiempos de Altamira – Permanent exhibition on the art and culture of the hunter-gatherer societies of the Upper Palaeolithic, with spaces devoted to the discovery of the art, prehistoric archaeology, everyday life and the first art.
- Neocueva – Three-dimensional reproduction of the Altamira cave as it was between 35,000 and 13,000 years ago, with its entrance hall occupied and the ceiling with polychrome paintings.
- Opgericht
- 1979
- Beheerder
- Ministerio de Cultura
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | € 3 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | € 1,50Cultural or educational groups of more than eight people with a prior request, and people doing cultural volunteer work; 50% discount with a Renfe long-distance train ticket presented within 48 hours after the journey |
| Kinderen & jongeren | gratisgratis t/m 17 jaar · Free admission for children under 18, with proof. Tickets must be bought for everyone, including children. |
| Senioren | gratisFree admission from age 65 and for pensioners, with proof. |
| Mensen met een beperking | gratisFree admission for people with disabilities, with proof. |
| Studenten | gratisFree admission for students aged 18 to 25 and Carnet Joven holders, with proof. |
| Groepen (vanaf 9 pers.) | € 1,50 p.p.Reduced admission for cultural or educational groups of more than eight people; the visit request must be submitted at least 15 days in advance. |
| Gezinnen | gratisFree admission for members of large families, with proof. |
| Altamira Museum annual pass | € 25 |
| State Museums annual pass | € 36,06 |
Gratis toegang: Saturdays from 14:00 and all day on Sundays; 18 April (International Day for Monuments and Sites), 12 October (Spanish National Day) and 6 December (Constitution Day).
Free admission, with proof, also applies to unemployed people, teaching staff, official tourist guides, journalists, and members of ICOM and other associations linked to the museum. Free entries on Saturday afternoons and Sundays are only available from the ticket office on the same day. Advance tickets can be bought online at least one day ahead (no changes or refunds); arrive 15 minutes before the chosen time.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie
The building has no architectural barriers, with ramps and lifts between the spaces; there are reserved parking spaces, accessible toilets and a wheelchair available. Guided visit to the Neocave with a Spanish Sign Language interpreter on the second Saturday of each month, for groups of more than five people, with a booking made 15 days in advance. Induction loops at the ticket offices, the information point, the audiovisual before access to the Neocave and the lecture hall; audiovisuals with voice-over and audio guides with audio description.
Kinderen & gezin
| Toegang kinderen | gratis t/m 17 jaar |
|---|---|
| Gezinsticket | gratis · Free admission for members of large families, with proof. |
- Verschoonruimte
Baby-changing facilities are available in all toilets. The museum welcomes around 38,000 school pupils a year, and it is the state museum with the largest number of minors on non-school visits.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Bus lines Torrelavega–Santillana (ALSA and La Cantábrica) and Santander–Santillana (La Cantábrica). Renfe station at Tanos–Torrelavega, 9 km away, and Feve commuter rail station at Puente San Miguel, 6 km away.
Met de auto
Gratis parkeren
Free, supervised car park within the site, with spaces for 200 cars, 10 buses and bicycles; it opens at 9:30.
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
The museum is 2 km from the town centre of Santillana del Mar. By road: from Castilla y León via the A-67; from Asturias and the Basque Country via the A-8/E-70, exit 234 towards Santillana del Mar. Santander airport is about 35 km away.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museumwinkel
- Garderobe
- Kluisjes
Restaurant-café, bookshop (also online), free cloakroom staffed by personnel and self-service lockers, green areas with vending machines outside, and a first-aid room. Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the museum.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
There is a venue hire service.
Je bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja |
|---|---|
| Audiotour | ja |
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Fotograferen | Photos may be taken in the museum, except with flash, tripods or selfie sticks; professional use requires prior accreditation. |
| Goed om te weten | Downloading the museum's free app is recommended for the guided visit. Audio guides with audio description and programmes for schools are available. Groups book via an online form at least 15 days in advance. Companion animals are not admitted, except assistance dogs. In summer it is recommended to buy tickets in advance. |
