Santa Cruz packs an outsized art scene into ten walkable blocks: the world's largest Óscar Domínguez collection at TEA, Calatrava's wave-shaped Auditorio, Guanche mummies at MUNA, and 40 open-air sculptures along the Rambla.
Herzog & de Meuron's perforated concrete labyrinth (2008) holds the world's largest Óscar Domínguez collection — around 130 surrealist works — plus rotating photography shows. Tue–Sun 10:00–20:00.
Free four-room museum beside Plaza del Príncipe, open since 1900, with a Ribera Saint Jerome, a Brueghel workshop panel, Sorolla, and 19th-century Canarian painters. Tue–Fri 11:00–19:00, weekends 10:00–15:00.
The neoclassical 1851 market arcade off Plaza Isla de la Madera now hosts free contemporary exhibitions across two floors — Canarian painters, installations and photography — under the original stone vaults and iron work.
The 1973 Exposición Internacional de Escultura en la Calle left roughly 40 abstract works along this 1.5 km laurel-lined boulevard, including pieces by Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Martín Chirino and Andreu Alfaro.
Santiago Calatrava's 2003 white concrete wave arcs 58 m over the harbour. Guided tours take in the 1,616-seat Sala Sinfónica, the organ and backstage areas, running mornings Monday to Saturday, roughly hourly.
A decommissioned refinery oil tank from the 1930s — 50 m across, 12 m high — reopened in 1997 as a raw industrial art space. Rusted steel walls, a cathedral-sized echo, and free installations by Canarian artists.
A 1745 civil hospital houses the archipelago's best pre-Hispanic collection: Guanche mummies wrapped in goatskin, carved pintaderas, funerary caves and burial ceramics. Tue–Sat 09:00–20:00, Sun 10:00–17:00.
The Canaries' oldest theatre, opened in 1851, seats around 700 beneath a horseshoe of gilded balconies and a ceiling painted by José Aguiar. The season mixes opera, contemporary dance, flamenco and Canarian drama.
The 1944 market wraps two colonial-style courtyards around a Moorish clock tower and arched gateway. Stalls sell gofio, palm honey from La Gomera, almogrote and aged goat cheeses; the fish basement opens earliest.
The six-nave mother church, founded in 1502 and rebuilt after the 1652 fire, keeps the Santa Cruz de la Conquista and Mudéjar coffered ceilings. Its 1786 bell tower anchors the colonial houses of Calle La Noria.
The 1884 Almeyda barracks displays El Tigre — the cannon credited with taking Nelson's arm during the failed British assault of 25 July 1797 — plus captured colours, maps and a room-sized diorama of the battle.
Early 20th-century modernist mansions line Calle Numancia and Rambla before giving way to Duggi, the small-bar quarter around Plaza de Toros where locals gather late for vermouth, live guitar and Canarian wine.