Building

The design of the renovation, the San Telmo Museum is reopening having been transformed into a modern and more extensive complex, much more comfortable and able to provide services. The museum's new arrangement can be divided into two parts: the original San Telmo building and the new exhibition hall.

The original San Telmo building, a Dominican convent built in the 16th century, is the result of a long process of successive modifications that have partially altered its physical and functional aspect. This is a unique specimen of Gipuzkoa architecture as it is a fusion of Gothic and Renaissance styles, creating a style that has been called "Elizabethan" architecture. One of its peculiarities is the location of the cloister, erected at the foot of the church instead of on the side, due to the proximity of Mount Urgull.

The new San Telmo hall, designed by architects Nieto & Sobejano, flows between the urban landscape and Mount Urgull. The first impression we have of it is a new plant wall, deep yet light, hiding two new exhibition halls within it for the permanent exhibition and temporary exhibitions plus the museum's different services.

The design of the new building, with its light swaying movements and changes of direction, naturally provides pedestrian access to Mount Urgull and offers the possibility of setting up exhibition spaces in the open air.