City Museum of Havana

Visit the City Museum in Old Havana, Cuba, and witness Cuba’s history unravel before your eyes

City Museum of Havana ©L.Kerner.

The Museo de la Ciudad (City Museum of Havana) is located in the former Capitanes Generales Palace, in Plaza de Armas Square of Old Havana, Cuba. It was built in 1770 in the same spot where Havana's original church was located.

Cristóbal Colón Statue, Museo de La Ciudad

Cristóbal Colón. Statue ©L.Kerner.

Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, La Habana

Capitanes Generales Palace. ©L.Kerner.

This palace is one of the best examples of Cuban Baroque architecture. Between 1791 and 1898, it was the official residence of the Spanish Captain Generals; between 1899 and 1902, US military governors settled there; and during the first decades of the 20th century, it became the presidential palace. From 1968 until now, the Capitanes Generales Palace has housed the City Museum, one of the most interesting and complete museums in Havana and Cuba.

The museum is surrounded by a beautiful central patio adorned with a white marble statue of Christopher Columbus since 1862. The museum contains exhibits displaying antique furniture, military uniforms, 19th century horse-drawn carriages, and an interesting photography exhibition recreating the most important events in Havana’s history, such as the sinking of a US warship in 1898.

The museum has more than 40 permanent exhibitions, among which the following stand out: La Parroquial, as a reminder of the main parish, the first church in Cuba; La Giraldilla, to honor the first sculpture made in the city; La Heráldica, a small room where several objects and documents proving the importance of heraldry to the Cuban aristocracy are on display; the Cobres Cubanos hall, dedicated to showing the importance of blacksmithing in the city; the Emilio Roig hall, exhibiting pieces that used to form part of Emilio Roig’s personal belongings; the Pinacoteca, which exhibits important works of Cuban artists from different periods in time; the Spanish Uniforms hall; and the hall of Heroic Cuba.

More information:

Location:

Calle Tacón (between Obispo and O’Reilly), Plaza de Armas, La Habana Vieja, Cuba.

Ticket price:

3 CUC.

Opening hours:

From Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 to 17:00.
Sunday from 9:00 to 13:00.
Monday closed.

Interactive map:

What to see in Old Havana

Other nearby destinations:

Why "Trip Cuba"?

Trip Cuba is an organization of Cuban agencies whose objectives are:

✓ To make Cuba, its culture and its heritage known.
✓ To promote sustainable tourism.
✓ To support the local economy, prioritizing direct contact with Cuban agencies.

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