The museum was founded after a group of intellectuals led by Dr Gregorio Chil y Naranjo and Agustín Millares Torres met in 1879 to set up a historical society.

In 1880 they opened a small museum and library on the second floor of Las Palmas City Hall with the aim of promoting the study of Canarian history.

Items on display include ceramic vessels, religious idols, pintaderas, tooled implements made of bone or wood, animal skins and other remains.

[3] As the largest archaeological collection in the Canary Islands, El Museo Canario is an important resource in the study of prehispanic society in the archipelago.

[4] The museum today is a popular tourist attraction in Las Palmas, and its displays include Canarian ceramics, mummies and a reproduction of the Painted Cave, Galdar.