Updated May 2026 · Written by the Hostal La Mexicana team
MUPAC occupies around 2,000 m² in the basement of the Mercado del Este, a restored 19th-century market building in the heart of Santander. The permanent exhibition runs from the Palaeolithic to the end of the Middle Ages in northern Spain, with unique portable Cantabrian art: decorated batons, engraved plaques and high-fidelity reproductions of cave paintings from El Castillo, Altamira and La Garma. It is the most complete prehistory museum in northern Spain and, alongside Centro Botín, one of the two essential cultural visits in the city.
The collection: what you see at MUPAC
The route is structured chronologically and begins with the first hominids in Cantabrian territory. The Palaeolithic art rooms are the highlight: they include life-size reproductions of painted cave panels from sites that are either closed to the public or have very restricted access, like La Garma or El Castillo. There are also original portable art pieces — engraved bones, harpoons, command batons — not found in any other museum in the region.
The Bronze Age and Iron Age section includes material from Cantabrian hillforts, with particular focus on the Cantabrian wars and Romanisation. The final block covers the Middle Ages with pieces from the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana and the earliest churches of the territory.
The full route takes 60–90 minutes. It is one of the best plans for a rainy day in Santander: fully covered, free at specific times, and with enough content for a full morning.
Opening hours 2026
| Period | Hours | Days |
|---|---|---|
| May – September | 10:00–14:00 and 17:00–20:00 | Tuesday to Sunday |
| October – April | 10:00–14:00 and 17:00–19:30 | Tuesday to Saturday |
| Weekends and holidays (Oct–Apr) | 10:00–14:00 and 17:00–20:00 | Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays |
| Weekly closure | — | Mondays all year |
| Annual closure | — | 24, 25 and 31 Dec · 1 and 6 January |
Admission prices
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| General admission (ages 13+) | €6 |
| Reduced (ages 4–12, students, seniors, disability) | €3 |
| Children under 4 | Free |
| Sundays from 17:00 | Free |
Tickets can be booked at museosdecantabria.es. For groups and school visits: +34 942 209 922 or mupac@cantabria.es.
How to get there from the hostal
MUPAC is at C/ Hernán Cortés 4, next to Paseo de Pereda, in the Mercado del Este building. From the Ayuntamiento it is 5–6 minutes on foot heading towards the bay. From Hostal La Mexicana (C/ Juan de Herrera 3) the route is direct: walk towards the Ayuntamiento and continue south towards Paseo de Pereda until you reach the Mercado del Este. No transport, no extra costs.
The new building in Puertochico (planned opening 2027)
In the Puertochico area, the new MUPAC building is under construction — the most ambitious cultural project in Cantabria in decades. The new museum will have three floors and around 12,000 m² of exhibition space (roughly 8,000 m² open to the public), plus an annexed 7,000 m² administrative building. The ground floor will host a cafeteria, restaurant, shop and multi-use room.
The new MUPAC will combine traditional museography with virtual reality, 3D reconstructions and an immersive room. The aim is to bring world-heritage-level pieces out of storage — pieces that don't fit in the current Mercado del Este site. The works, executed by Dragados with a budget of around €50 million, are targeting a summer 2027 opening.
Puertochico is 9 minutes on foot from the hostal. When the new building opens, the cultural route (MUPAC → Centro Botín → Faro Santander) will be concentrated within 15 minutes of walking.
Combining the visit
If you're spending several days in Santander, MUPAC is the best context before visiting the actual caves. Altamira (Santillana del Mar, 30 km) and the El Castillo cave (Puente Viesgo, 28 km) are much easier to appreciate after seeing the museum. Both require advance booking, especially in summer. Information at turismodecantabria.com.
On the same day you can combine MUPAC with the Cathedral (6 min on foot) and Centro Botín (11 min), making a complete cultural itinerary with no transport needed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does MUPAC cost in Santander?
General admission is €6. The reduced rate is €3 for children aged 4–12, students, seniors and people with disabilities. Sunday afternoons from 17:00 are free for everyone. Children under 4 always enter free.
When does the new MUPAC in Puertochico open?
The new building is planned to open in summer 2027, after the museographic installation phase. Works are ongoing in Puertochico. Until then the museum is open at its current site in the Mercado del Este (C/ Hernán Cortés 4), which will remain open until the move.
How do you get to MUPAC from the city centre?
MUPAC is 5–6 minutes on foot from the Ayuntamiento, at C/ Hernán Cortés 4 (Mercado del Este building). From Hostal La Mexicana the route is direct, heading towards the bay. Closed on Mondays.