San Telmo Museum

The San Telmo Museum is the Basque history and contemporary art museum in the Parte Vieja, housed in a 16th-century Dominican convent with a modern addition from 2011 by the architects Nieto Sobejano. The permanent collection covers Basque cultural history, ethnography, and identity from prehistoric times to the present, with particular attention to the tradition of Basque identity under Francoist repression and the emergence of Basque political culture after. The contemporary art section has significant works by Basque artists including Eduardo Chillida (the sculptor whose large-scale steel works are permanently installed in San Sebastian) and Jorge Oteiza. Entry is EUR 6. The cloister of the original convent (with painted murals by Jose Maria Sert depicting Basque history) is the architectural highlight. The museum is a 10-minute walk from the pintxo bars of the old town: combine them in the same morning.