The Sacred Art Museum of La Orotava offers, through themed routes and visits, another way of discovering, getting to know and valuing the historical, artistic and religious heritage of the Villa. A trip to the past, to five centuries of Christianity on the island, which has its main stop at the so-called Treasure of the Conception. This collection, made up of about a thousand pieces of very varied origin: bought by the parish from the first years of the 16th century to the present; donations from individuals, or product of historical events such as the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767 or the Disentailment of Mendizábalwhich allowed this parish to receive many goods from convents in the area, in 1835.
Between the walls and rooms of this Sacred Museum include paintings such as the Magdalena Penitente, by Domenico Fetti, from 1614, or the Immaculate Conception, painted by Juan de Miranda in 1781. Works of religious art such as the embossed silver altar from 1776 or the processional cross from 1614, or the carving of the first Immaculate Conception, which has already served five centuries of existence Y curiosities such as the coffin that was lent in the 18th century for people without resources to receive burial, or the altar that was used for masses in Latin.
Multitude of full-size and dress images, both life-size and small-format, works by artists such as Luján Pérez, Fernando Estévez or Blas García Ravelo. Liturgical ornaments and objects; a large textile exhibition with pieces from the 17th to the 19th century; the relics of the first bishop of the Canary IslandsLuis Folgueras de Sionor one of the most important pieces in the museum: a Gothic-Manueline monstrance of silver, gold, emeralds and topazes, of Portuguese origin, which is a unique piece in Spain.
The Sacred Art Museum continues to work with the aim of bringing the local heritage closer to the entire population through school visits, guided tours of the historic center and thematic visits to its collection. Inside this unique museum it is possible to enjoy four thematic visits, entitled The painting in the Treasury; Mary, the beauty of faith; A coffee at the MuseumY The woman in the Treasury. Abroad, eight guided tours have been scheduled this year: Convent Treasures, Royal Road Treasures, Franciscan Treasures, Easter Treasures, Holiday Treasures, In the footsteps of Raphael, Christmas treasures Y Hidden Treasuresall based on historical facts and key references of the villero heritage.
For the little ones, this museum has launched several new proposals this year, including recreations of paintings with costumes and accessories for children or the transformation of this parish space into a escape room for high school students, who will have to complete an investigation in a certain time in order to pass a test that will bring them closer to local history and heritage. This educational initiative has the financial backing of the City Council of La Orotava, which allows activities aimed at schoolchildren to be free for all schools and institutes in the municipality, but also in the other two neighboring towns of the Valle de La Orotava: Puerto de la Cruz and Los Realejos.
The Woman in the Treasure
The Sacred Museum offers the thematic visit entitled “The Woman in the Treasure”, which reviews the image of women in Christianity and the female figure throughout history in an authentic “time travel through the works of art» of La Concepción.
