San Telmo Museum, closer than ever

Fachada del museo, en la palza Zuloagaa
Fachada del museo, en la palza Zuloagaa

The San Telmo Museum in San Sebastian, opened in 1902, is the oldest museum in the Basque Country. Today San Telmo has been renovated to become a Museum of Basque Society and Citizenship, whose object is Basque society.

STM-marca
Lienzos de sert
Lienzos de sert

The San Telmo Museum, inaugurated in 1902, is the oldest museum in the Basque Country, a museum that today presents itself renewed and with new objectives. Starting from the basis of its collections, which are almost entirely related to Basque society, San Telmo has been renovated to become a Museum of Basque Society and Citizenship, whose object is Basque society.

San Telmo is presented as a museum and, at the same time, a space for the dissemination of knowledge and the creation of thought, and aims to be an instrument for understanding the present and building the future based on knowledge of the past.

Exposición temporal en San Telmo
Temporary exhibition in San Telmo

The museum currently has more than 35,000 items inventoried in various categories: Ethnography, Fine Arts, Photography, Archaeology and History.

It is worth noting that the San Telmo Museum is the only museum in its surroundings dedicated to Basque society from the perspective of a society museum, and at the same time, it is the only one in the city with a Fine Arts area.

Inaugurated in 1902, San Telmo is the oldest museum in the Basque Country

Museum renovations

Various actions have been carried out in the historic building, including the demolition of some of the volumes added in the 1932 renovation; the restoration, cleaning, consolidation and restoration of the original stone and wooden construction elements; the adaptation of the installations; etc. This is the part of the work that has caused the most unforeseen events, with interesting archaeological finds and traces of ancient paintings in the church.

17 canvases by Sert

For the inauguration, held on 3 September 1932, the painter José María Sert was commissioned to cover the walls of the church. For this purpose, he painted 17 canvases in Paris, using glazes on a metallic background, which narrate in a heroic and grandiose tone eleven scenes from the life and history of Gipuzkoa: its men, its deeds and its beliefs.

San Telmo Museum

Plaza Zuloaga 1      20003 Donostia / San Sebastián
Tel.: (00 34) 943 48 15 80       www.santelmomuseoa.eus

Si te gusta la historia no puedes perderte:

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

We have the best quality tourism content and we deliver it to your inbox every fortnight.

You'll love it

Featured Video Play Icon

Bizit Euskadi, a varied and unique experience in Euskadi

The campaign is an invitation to travellers to visit us, together with the experience of “living Euskadi”: to offer the image of a plural, modern Euskadi, with a great wealth and variety of tourism and internationally recognised gastronomy for everyone to enjoy.

Seguir leyendo icono
Iñigo Aristegui junto a una de sus obras en el Kursaal

Iñigo Aristegui, hugs to gift

 “Inspiration is the sum of many elements, knowledge and studies”, says this creative artist from San Sebastian, whose large format work, “Los abrazos”, can be seen next to the María Cristina Hotel.

Seguir leyendo icono
Participants at the

“Mantala”, a new initiative to promote our gastronomy

“Mantala Basque Gastronomy”, an initiative to promote and develop Basque gastronomy by encouraging the exchange of knowledge and co-creation, has recently been presented. Mantala is promoted by the Basque Culinary Center and Hazi Fundazioa.

Seguir leyendo icono
Arca square.

Routes to rediscover Vitoria-Gasteiz this Christmas

We propose several routes through the capital of the Basque Country to explore charming parks and places full of history: Romantic Route, Literary Route, Napoleonic Route, Garden Route… an excellent plan for these dates.

Seguir leyendo icono