Lanzarote Attractions :: Island Museums: Lanzarote Guidebook

When the weather’s variable Lanzarote still offers plenty to do in the shape of a surprisingly large selection of museums. Many of which offer a fascinating insight into various aspects of the island´s history and culture.

Emigration Museum

Perched on the hill above the old capital of Teguise is the Castillo Santa Barbara, which is home to a permanent exhibition documenting what happened to the island’s inhabitants when the volcanoes erupted. Many emigrated to Cuba and Latin America in search of work and new lives and the exhibits here illustrate just how precarious this voyage could be, with some of the vessels never arriving at their destinations.

From the roof of the castle there are commanding views of the island in every direction, proving how important the building was for the defence of the local population. There is also a display detailing just how many pirate attacks Lanzarote was subjected to.

Admission is €3 for adults and €1.50 for children. The castle is open every day except Saturday from 10.00 till 15.00.

Wine Museum

The El Grifo bodega in Masdache is the oldest in the Canary Islands – dating back to the 1770´s. And is also home to the island´s Museo del Vino. Which provides visitors with a fascinating insight into the unique methods of viniculture on Lanzarote.

The Museum´s informative and friendly guides provide tours through the exhibition as well as conducting tastings, which are included in the cost of admission.

Admission is €3 for adults, which includes a tasting session. The Museo del Vino is open daily from 103.0 to 18.00.

Airport Museum

Lanzarote has had an airport since 1941 and the old airport terminal has now been transformed into a museum, documenting the island’s aviation history.

With a number of interactive displays and an interesting exhibition of photos illustrating just how much air travel has changed since the early days, the museum aims to be both entertaining and informative. The museum can be found within the airport’s grounds.

Admission is free and the opening hours are from 10.00 till 14.00 every day, except Monday.

Whale and Dolphin Museum

The waters surrounding Lanzarote are home to numerous species of dolphin and whale, many of which are featured as part of the Whale and Dolphin Museum in Puerto Calero. With real skeletons and interactive displays, there is plenty for visitors to learn about the cetacean world, as these aquatic mammals are known.

Around the Canaries, the most commonly spotted dolphin is the Bottlenose, along with the Common, the Striped and the Atlantic Spotted dolphin.

The Museum is easy to find in Puerto Calero, as it is in the main Varadero building, signposted by a whale skeleton outside.

Admission is €8 for adults and €5 for children, with discounts available for family groups. Opening hours are between 10.00 and 18.00, Tuesday to Saturday.

Museum of International Contemporary Art – Castillo San José

The International Art Museum on the outskirts of Arrecife houses a standing exhibition, featuring works from the 1950’s to the 1970’s by several leading Spanish and Canarian artists, such as Millares, Manrique, Pancho Lasso and Mampaso. But it isn’t just the artworks that are worth looking at, as the Museum is housed in one of Lanzarote’s fortresses from the eighteenth century.

The battlements on the roof of the building overlook the port area of the capital, Arrecife, and were pivotal to the island’s protection from pirate invaders. Also not to be missed is the stylish restaurant in the basement of the castle which was designed by César Manrique. The Castillo San José is situated in between Puerto Naos and Puerto Marmoles on the coastal road out of the capital.

Admission to the MIAC costs €2.50 for adults and €1.25 for children. Opening hours are between 11.00 and 21.00.

Palacio Spinola

Situated in the centre of the former capital of Teguise, the Palacio Spinola is a colonial house museum and will be of interest to any visitors who are curious about the architectural details of the older buildings to be found on the island. It has been lovingly restored, with ornate furnishings in all the rooms that are open to the public, including the tiny chapel.

The main salon features an intricately carved wooden gallery on the mezzanine level of the upper floor, where musicians would have played to their audience below. There is an enclosed patio garden to the rear and a small central courtyard is home to the well, where water can still be drawn from the underground aljibe.

The Palacio is now occasionally used for state functions and provides accommodation for the President of the Canary Islands when he is visiting.

Admission costs €3 for adults and €1.50 for children. Palacio Spinola is open between 10.00 and 15.00 daily, except Saturdays.