The best museums Central

Inaugurated on December 28, 1988, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the battle of Santa Clara, it is the only museum dedicated to Che. Photos, objects, documents and videos evoke his life from his birth to his death. His remains and those of seven companions assassinated in Bolivia on the orders of the United States, were transferred there in 1997, for the 30th anniversary of their death. In the memorial, we can see the coffins of Che and all his companions. It is rather sober but moving.

Built in 1885 (inaugurated on September 8) at the request of Marta Abreu de Estévez, who was also responsible for the construction of the first free clinic in Santa Clara in 1878, the Teatro de la Carida (Theatre of Charity) is decorated with paintings by the Spaniard Camilo Zelaya. It is worth noting that the first temple in the city was located here: the Ermita de la Candelaria. Plays are regularly performed here and every Thursday night at 7 pm a concert is held in the entrance of the theater. The guided tour is interesting and highly recommended.

Housed in an old colonial house, built between 1827 and 1830, the museum features magnificent neoclassical murals by Cuban and Italian artists. It traces the history of Trinidad since its foundation: Indian archeological finds, the slave trade, the development of the sugar industry, the struggle for independence undertaken by the Trinitarios and other significant episodes in the city's culture, society and economy.

Located in the former convent of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, the museum recounts the fighting in the 1960s between the national revolutionary militia and the enemies of the revolution, who operated in the mountainous areas of the Escambray (the main theater of counter-revolutionary resistance). Photos and testimonies maintain the myth of the barbudos. On display are a marine launch and part of the U2 (U.S. spy plane) shot down by the Cuban army in 1962.

Good news, the museum, which has been under restoration for a long time, has finally reopened! The city could not fail to honor the memory of one of its most famous natives. A museum was opened in 1973 in the house where Ignacio Agramonte (1841-1873) was born. The latter, a leader of the independence movement in the region, fought 45 battles before being shot in 1873, at the age of 32, by Spanish troops, who in reprisal burned his body.

Built in 1808, the former palace of Nicolás de la Cruz y Brunet, owner of cane plantations ennobled by the king of Spain, is one of the beautiful testimonies of the colonial architecture of the island. It has been beautifully restored. One of the floors has been transformed into a museum, with collections of jewelry, furniture, porcelain and silverware that belonged to the Spanish nobility. You will also see the paintings of Esteban Chartrand, a French-Cuban painter of the 19th century.

Inaugurated in April 1976, for the 15th anniversary of the victory of the Castro troops, the museum retraces the Bay of Pigs affair. The attempted US invasion turned into a fiasco after three days of intense fighting. The artillery of the regular forces will indeed defeat the attackers with the support of the last two fighter planes of the Air Force, one of which still sits at the entrance. A very enlightening film is shown at the end of the visit.

Except for the main rooms dedicated to exhibitions, this palace has not changed much since the last heirs of the Sánchez-Iznaga family left in 1982. During the visit, you will get acquainted with samples of the architectural development of Trinidad. You will also see the Italian porcelain toilet in the interior patio and the American shower of 1912, heated with gas. The urns in the patio (19th century) are from Malaga.

This museum has been repainted in a bright white and blue for the city's bicentennial in 2019.

Built between 1891 and 1893, the building originally housed the Spanish casino. Today, it is primarily dedicated to the decorative arts and preserves archaeological samples from the pre-Columbian era. On Saturdays and Sundays, the place comes alive with concerts of traditional Cuban music. The program can be requested at the reception desk. Every first Saturday of the month, a peña (popular cultural gathering) is held at the museum.

The museum traces the archaeological history of Cuba, from the pre-Columbian period to the Spanish conquest and colonization. Its former owners, Don Juan Andrés Padrón and his family, hosted the famous Alexander von Humboldt in 1801 during his visit to Trinidad. Hernán Cortés is also said to have stayed here before leaving for Mexico in the 16th century. Guamuhaya is the word used by the aborigines to designate the mountain range surrounding Trinidad.