That the Canary Islands hide heritage, historical and artistic treasures that are too little known for their relevance is an unquestionable fact. That almost every municipality has jewels worth visiting and disseminating, too, but that there is a museum of Ibero-American crafts, and from Portugal and the Philippines without parallel in the world without many islanders, Tenerife residents and even Orotava residents knowing or appreciating it as they should, It’s already much sadder. But that’s what happens with him MAIT (the Museum of Ibero-American Crafts of Tenerife), located in the old convent of Santo Domingo, next to the church of the same name, in the lower part of the historic center of La Orotava.
The renovation of the Santo Domingo convent, from the 17th century and one of the most beautiful in the Archipelago, was delayed and went through various vicissitudes, but, finally, the MAIT was inaugurated in 1990 with three first rooms and, from the beginning, it had an important collection of artisanal pieces from ancient, lost or modern productions, which were enriched with other acquisitions and donations from individuals or institutions. In total, it has about 14,000 creations, although many are kept in warehouses.
On two floors marked by the spectacular cloister and central patio, as well as the tower of the attached church, the stone staircase that connects them, its excellent architecture and carpentry (especially in the ceilings), this museum dependent on the Island Council has of permanent rooms, seasonal exhibitions, spaces for audiovisual projections and thematic exhibitions that leave no one indifferent. Behind a stone arch at its entrance that does not go unnoticed, the center shows the vision of the Canarian architect, sculptor and gilder Antonio de Orbarán. Among his many pieces, the fretwork from the 17th century and later stands out, especially the rosettes that are exhibited in the specific room on the second floor (an area opened to the public since 1991).
They want to give so much prominence to the rosette, that it has its own room under that name in an attempt to reinforce, since 2016, the objective of achieving the declaration of Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) for the Canary Islands for this artisanal style. , with a spectacular English dress from the late 19th century (Victorian era) and a recent one (2016), but which shows how these shapes were worked into the clothing of wealthy families in the past (the so-called jasmine rosettes, which had almost been lost ). It is in this space where the museum’s oldest pieces are located, rosettes from the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as spectacular embroidered collars from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, the majority of pieces of the different artisanal specialties are from the 40s of the 20th century onwards from all the Ibero-American countries, Portugal and the Philippines.
In addition, and as Pilar Amador González, museum technician, points out to DIARIO DE AVISOS, the treasure room stands out, also located on the upper floor and which includes a selection of the most important pieces, as well as the regional design awards from Canarian crafts, located in the lower part. Likewise, there is a room of popular art from America and the Philippines, one on popular musical instruments from Spain and America (the oldest exhibition in the center, highlighting twenty donated by a member of the Government of Brazil from the Crafts Department) and a extensive collection of ceramics and pottery, with great weight from the Canary Islands.
As Amador emphasizes, it is the only museum with samples from all Latin American countries. “Until a few years ago, there was another museum like that in Madrid, but not anymore and, in America, those that exist are of craftsmanship specific to each nation, not a mix like this one.”
Since 2007, the offer has diversified with workshops, guided tours, night tours and other activities, which increased the relevance and prestige of the museum on a local and regional scale, although still without the recognition that many would give it if it had more dissemination.
THEMATIC SAMPLES
Every year, the center organizes six-month thematic exhibitions, concentrating the deposited material so that it can be exhibited due to lack of space. These exhibitions are also offered to city councils to make them traveling, such as the one that opened last Friday in Los Silos on musical instruments from Latin America, with pieces not exhibited in the museum and that are taken to localities that request them.
As for visits, in 2022 they closed with about 7,000 people, they hope to exceed that figure by the end of the balance of 2023 and everything indicates that they will continue to grow in the future. “Many schools come, tourists on their own and, although they are fewer, organized groups that have also been increasing, for example from the French. We are happy with this increase, but we continue to spread the word and we have had events at night with a full house, with 160 people in the treasure room. We use all social networks, but we cannot force people to enter either,” says Amador.
Well, for those interested, the museum is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. A magnificent opportunity to enjoy Canarian and Ibero-American history, art and crafts of recent and recent centuries in a spectacular setting.
