Museo Canario facts for kids
The Museo Canario building in Vegueta
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1879 |
|---|---|
| Location | Las Palmas Gran Canaria Spain |
El Museo Canario (which means "the Canarian Museum" in English) is a special museum in Las Palmas. This city is the capital of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. The museum focuses on the very old history of the Canary Islands. It shows what life was like before Europeans settled there.
How the Museum Started
The museum began in 1879. A group of smart people, including Dr. Gregorio Chil y Naranjo and Agustín Millares Torres, wanted to create a historical society. Their goal was to study the history of the Canary Islands.
In 1880, they opened a small museum and library. It was on the second floor of the Las Palmas City Hall. At that time, there were no universities on Gran Canaria. So, the museum became very important for historical research.
Early archaeologists from the museum went on trips. They explored the island to find old objects. These objects came from ancient villages of the Guanches. The Guanches were the first people to live in the Canary Islands.
Some of the museum's founders were friends with famous French archaeologists. They were interested in how ancient people lived. The museum helped them learn more about the Guanches.
Dr. Chil passed away in 1901. After his wife died in 1913, their home was given to the museum. This house was in the Vegueta area of Las Palmas. The museum moved its collection there in 1923.
However, the museum's new building did not open right away. There was an economic crisis after World War I. So, the museum finally opened its doors in 1930. It is still in Dr. Chil's old home today.
What You Can See in the Collection
The museum has a large collection of ancient objects. Most of these items are from the first people who lived on Gran Canaria. There are also some objects from other Canary Islands.
You can see many different things on display. These include old clay pots and religious statues. There are also special stamps called pintaderas. You can find tools made from bone or wood. The museum also has animal skins and other remains from long ago.
El Museo Canario has the biggest collection of ancient objects in the Canary Islands. It is a very important place for studying the history of the islands. The newspaper El Mundo has called it "one of the best archaeological museums in Spain."
Today, the museum is a popular place for tourists to visit in Las Palmas. You can see ancient Canarian pottery and even mummies. There is also a copy of the Painted Cave, Galdar, which is a famous ancient site.
See also
In Spanish: El Museo Canario para niños
