History of the building

The convent

The current museum stands inside an old Dominican convent from the mid 16th century, built thanks to the patronage of Alonso de Idiáquez, Secretary of State for Emperor Carlos V. The Dominicans decided to dedicate the convent to San Telmo, patron saint of seamen.

Different uses

In 1836 the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizabal put an end to the link between the religious order and this building, turning it entirely into a military barracks. At the end of the 19th century, the advanced deterioration of San Telmo made many citizens demand that the City Council step in. Consequently, in 1913 the tower and the cloister were declared National Monuments and these parts still belong to the State today. In 1928 the City Council decided to buy the rest of San Telmo and inaugurate it as the Municipal Museum in 1932.