Casa del Carnaval, Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Where Carnival Lives All Year Round

If you want to truly understand the spirit of Carnival — beyond parades, music, and glitter — make time to visit Casa del Carnaval in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
This is where the history, creativity, and emotion behind one of the world’s most famous carnivals come together under one roof.

Located in the Barranco de Santos area, near Puente Galcerán, Casa del Carnaval offers a deeper look into a celebration officially recognised as a Festival of International Tourist Interest — and it does so in a modern, immersive, and accessible way.

Did you know?

Did you know that Santa Cruz Carnival has hosted world-famous performers, broken Guinness World Records, and inspired artists far beyond the Canary Islands? Over the decades, international music icons have stepped onto Carnival stages, legendary performers like Celia Cruz have left their mark on the celebrations, and the city itself has transformed into one of Europe’s most vibrant open-air festivals. Some Carnival costumes take months to build, can weigh hundreds of kilos, and are designed more like moving sculptures than traditional outfits. If you’ve ever wondered how all of this comes together — the music, the craftsmanship, the stories, the people — Casa del Carnaval is exactly where those answers live.

What Is Casa del Carnaval?

Casa del Carnaval is not a traditional museum. It is a living cultural space designed to help visitors understand how Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife has evolved, why it matters so deeply to the island, and how it continues to shape local identity.

Spanning over 1,050 square metres, the venue combines permanent exhibitions, temporary displays, digital experiences, and educational spaces — all created to make Carnival feel alive, not frozen in time.

A Permanent Exhibition Full of Colour and Craft

At the heart of the visit is the permanent exhibition, showcasing original Carnival costumes, key decorative elements, and visual archives that highlight the craftsmanship behind the festival.

The experience is designed to be:

• visual and sensory
• comfortable and engaging
• flexible enough to change and grow over time

Each year, the exhibition is updated to include:

• the costume of the current Carnival Queen
• outfits worn by prize-winning groups from the most recent Carnival (murgas, comparsas, musical groups, adult and children’s categories)

This means no two visits are exactly the same.

The Hall of the Carnival Queen

One of the most striking spaces inside Casa del Carnaval is the Hall of the Carnival Queen.

Here, the current Queen’s costume takes centre stage, surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting. These monumental designs — often weighing hundreds of kilos — serve as the introduction to the wider exhibition and set the tone for what follows: creativity without limits.

From there, visitors move through eight independent exhibition modules, each equipped with multilingual screens explaining different aspects of Carnival traditions, characters, and artistic processes.

Posters, Videos, and Interactive Spaces

The route through the museum includes:

• a collection of historic Carnival posters, including recent editions
• a large video wall with footage capturing the energy of Carnival celebrations
• an interactive educational area, especially popular with school groups and curious visitors

These spaces help connect past and present, showing how Carnival imagery, themes, and messages have changed over the decades.

Digital Experiences and Audioguides

To make the experience accessible to international visitors, Casa del Carnaval offers a digital audioguide system that can be accessed directly on mobile devices.

Available languages include:

• English
• Spanish (with and without subtitles)
• French

Throughout the visit, digital resources enhance the experience, allowing visitors to explore Carnival stories, sounds, and visuals in a more immersive way — including playful elements such as virtual costume experiences.

Honouring the People Behind the Carnival

Casa del Carnaval is also a tribute to the people who have shaped the festival over generations:

• Carnival Queens
• costume designers
• group founders and pioneers
• award-winning Carnival groups
• iconic Carnival characters

Special attention is given to the Adult Queen, Children’s Queen, and Senior Queen, each displayed in dedicated spaces, alongside the groups and personalities that keep the Carnival spirit alive year after year.

Sala Suspi and Cultural Events

The venue includes a multi-purpose space known as Sala Suspi, named in honour of a well-known Carnival murguero.

This room hosts:

• temporary exhibitions
• talks and conferences
• book presentations
• seminars and cultural events

It reinforces Casa del Carnaval’s role not just as an exhibition space, but as an active cultural hub.

A Carnival Research and Documentation Centre

Beyond exhibitions, Casa del Carnaval also houses a documentation and research centre dedicated to Carnival heritage.
It is designed for:

• researchers and academics
• journalists
• students
• anyone interested in Carnival history and archives

The centre supports the preservation, cataloguing, and public access to Carnival-related materials.

Practical Information

Address:
Calle Aguere, 17
38005 Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Phone:
+34 922 04 60 20

Email:
info@casacarnavalsantacruz.com

Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday, 10:00 – 18:30

Carnival Never Really Ends in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz de Tenerife doesn’t celebrate Carnival just once a year.
At Casa del Carnaval, the music, colours, stories, and creativity live on every day.

If you’re curious about Carnival costumes, traditions, or the people behind the festival — this is a visit worth making.

Come and enjoy Carnival, all year round.