It is located in the ancient Captain General's Palace, seat of the Spanish governments in the island from 1781 to 1899 and of the presidency of the republic from 1902 to 1920.

The museum of the city has permanent exhibition halls with collections of arts and history of the colonial times and of the beginnings of the 20 th century. It has collections that illustrate a historical background of the city since it was founded up to the present times. The most important rooms exhibit the Cuban wars for the national independence.