National Museum and Research Center of Altamira (EN)
The Altamira Cave
Human settlement in this area of the Cantabrian coast dates back at least 100,000 years, but artistic expression—linked to the end of the Neanderthal species and the beginning of Cro-Magnon man (about 40,000 years ago)—reached its peak about 13,500 years ago in the polychrome chamber of the Altamira Cave, designated a World Heritage Site in 1985.
 | The museum offers the opportunity to learn about, enjoy, and experience the lives of those who painted and inhabited the Altamira Cave. The permanent exhibition "The Times of Altamira" depicts hunter-gatherers in their daily tasks; films, dioramas, and animated drawings explain the use of the archaeological objects preserved and on display. Integrated into the exhibition, the Neocueva shows us what Altamira was like at the dawn of history, both as a place of habitation and as a sanctuary. |