Casa de Colon in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain | Museum

Casa de Colon is located in the historic area of Vegueta, the original location where the city was first founded in 1478. The present formation comes from the integration of several buildings; one of which is the old Governor’s house, visited by Columbus during his first voyage (1492), in order to ask for help to fix his ship La Pinta.



The architecture shows several interventions since 1950, conserving original areas that goes as far back as the 16th century. The different restorations, as well as the original pieces, make Casa de Colon an exceptional building and a must-see in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain



Casa de Colon is a cultural institution; it has been open to the public since 1951. Its aim is to centre on the study, investigation and promotion of Canarian history, and the islands relationships with America.



This institution contains a Museum with thirteen permanent exhibition rooms, archives, and a centre for specialised studies, as well as different spaces designed for temporary activities such as courses, seminars, conferences and exhibitions.



The collections that the Museum holds is centered around five themed areas:



America before the discovery – Informative panels about the American population, pre-columbian cultures and a collection of original ceramic pieces from Esmeralda and Tolita cultures.



Columbus and his journeys – Information of this historic moment is shown through models, panels and representative objects, suchas, nautical letters, navigational instruments, caravels and routes.



The Canaries as a strategic enclave and base for experimentation with the New World – The Archipelago as a reference for expeditions and the Canary population, settlements in America and commercial relations.



History and creation of the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain – A scale reproduction of the island of Gran Canaria; Las Palmas from the 15th to the 19th century shown by urban drawings, models and graphic documentation, engravings of Pieter van der Doez´s attack to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.



Art from the 16th till the 20th century – A selection of work formed with pieces from the Prado and Casa de Colon; Flemish art, Renaissance and Baroque pieces, Canary landscape paintings, and paintings which show Canary customs from the 19th to the 20th century.





Services:



Library

The library is specialized in the history of America and the relationships with the Canary Islands. The collection is made up of approximately 25 000 volumes; of special interest to researchers is the part dedicated to Columbus history



Education and Cultural Action

Casa de Colon organises throughout the year a series of activities designed for the conservation and research, as well as the promotion of the collection. The Museum organises temporary exhibitions, normally thematic, and live presentations such as guided tours, educational workshops, educational kits, informative courses, exercise books and teaching material.



Between these dedicated activities to promote research into Canarian history and their relations with America, we have the Coloquios de Historia Canario-Americana, every two years. Under the direction of Francisco Morales Padrón, the Colloquium has celebrated an uninterrupted run since 1976. The documentation of these finds reflects the present state of research into Canarian-American History.



A special mention must be given to the publication of the Anuario de Estudios Atlánticos, edited since 1955, with 54 numbers and more than 800 articles. Founded by Antonio Rumeu de Armas, and directed now by Antonio de Béthencourt Massieu, it constitutes today a fundamental tool for the knowledge of Canary culture.



The research awards "Viera and Clavijo", the grants for research into Canarian-American history, as well as the special Canarian-American prize, complete a cluster of activities aimed at encouraging research.



In addition, throughout the year Columbus House organises a series of temporary events, such as courses, seminars and conferences, in which there is space not just for the major historical themes but also time to reflect on the most relevant aspects of contemporary thought and history.