In memory of the Canarian exodus

The Museum of the Emigrant, Teguise 
There was a time when the Canarian people left the islands in search of a better future than that promised in their home lands. The dispersion of the Canarian people saw the Atlantic islanders spread out in all directions across the planet. Nowadays, with the prosperity currently enjoyed by the islands, the descendents of those who were forced to leave are well aware of the fact that much of today's progress is closely associated with the efforts made by their ancestors. A museum on the island of Lanzarote pays tribute to a time in the not so distant past when the Canarians emigrated in order to secure their future.

The location in Teguise (Lanzarote), chosen by the island authorities, provides the first incentive to visit the Museum of the Emigrant. The small exhibition centre is situated in the Guanapay Castle, a 16th century fortress built by the feudal lord of the island, Sancho de Herrera, with the intention of defending Teguise, the then capital of the island, from the frequents pirate attacks that ravaged Lanzarote. Nowadays, the castle, built on the edge of the crater of the Guanapay Volcano, offers an excellent opportunity to discover the history of the thousands of Canarians who were forced to emigrate to the Americas in order to seek a dignified existence. In the 19th and 20th centuries, and particularly during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939), thousand of islanders left the archipelago in search of a better life. Cuba and Venezuela where the preferred destinations for the Canarian emigrants.

Since 1991, this castle has been converted into the first Canarian museum dedicated to the memory of the island emigrants. Seven exhibition rooms display a collection of objects, documents and photographs that reveal a time when the Canaries was unable to guarantee the survival of its inhabitants. Information boards, texts and maps complete the exhibition of this small tribute to the men and women who left the islands. The majority of the documentation relating to the Canarian emigration to the Americas available on the island is displayed in this special museum.

Among the documentation and material that has been collected, of particular interest are the family letters of the emigrants, passports, postcards sent from the Americas to those that remained on the island, boarding cards, photographs, maps, navigation charts and documents that tell us of the harsh travelling conditions that the emigrants had to endure, as well as the jobs they did on arrival in the Americas, and the different fortunes of those who returned to their native land.  

The exhibition is rounded off by an interesting collection of objects relating to the Canarian emigration, including models and photographs that help us better understand the American adventure of the Canarians who left to seek better opportunities in distant lands.

Location: Guanapay Castle (Guanapay Volcano, Teguise)
Opening hours: Winter: From Monday to Friday, from 10.00 to 17.00; Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 10.00 to 16.00. Summer: From Monday to Sunday from 10.00 to 16.00.
Telephone: 928 84 50 01 / 928 84 50 72