Altamira National Museum and Research Centre

A great tour of prehistoric archaeology to understand what life was like in the times of Altamira.

The permanent exhibition The Times of Altamira lets visitors explore the prehistory of Spain. The museum, located next to the world-famous cave itself, exhibits different aspects of prehistoric life in Altamira: Art, culture, life, hunting techniques, etc. All through the contemplation of the most representative objects of this period in the Iberian Peninsula.But perhaps the most distinctive feature of this museum is the so-called Neocave: A carefully procured replica of the real Altamira cave as it looked 35,000 to 13,000 years ago. Visits to the actual cave are subject to strict restrictions to prevent damage to its delicate prehistoric murals. Of course, it features a variety of its most notable cave paintings, discovered by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola in 1879, which marked the worldwide discovery of Palaeolithic cave art. Visit the Altamira Caves they are subject to strict access control and very limited public visits. Currently, only five people per week (260 people per year) can access the site by appointment through a waiting list that already existed and was established back in 2002. At this time, the waiting list is closed and no new applications are being accepted.