This brain-bending amalgam of natural science and archaeology is the city’s number one attraction, and one of the best museums in all the Canary Islands. Set inside the former civil hospital, the exhibit highlights are undoubtedly the Guanche mummies and skulls, all of which are shrivelled masses of skin, hair and bone, with faces dried into contorted and grotesque expressions.
In addition, there are informative displays on the wildlife, flora and geology; the audiovisual presentation about the eruption of El Teide is particularly powerful. Children will enjoy the interactive displays with their flashing buttons and large TV screens. At present, signage is only in Spanish, although most of the exhibition rooms have laminated explanatory sheets in English. There’s a cafe and gift shop.
