Santander has a new beacon. The former headquarters of Banco Santander, designated a Site of Cultural Interest, is now home to Faro Santander, the art, culture and technology centre developed by Fundación Banco Santander.
The architectural transformation, led by David Chipperfield Architects, has given the Pereda Building a new cultural purpose. Its large central arch, opening towards the bay, creates a new connection between the building and the city.
Faro Santander offers more than 10,000 m² dedicated to art, culture and technology, with a programme combining exhibitions, immersive experiences and educational activities.
Its inaugural programme includes Obras maestras de la Colección Banco Santander, a journey through almost five centuries of art history; México moderno en la Colección Gelman Santander, featuring works by artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera; and El surrealismo sintomático: Leonora Carrington, organised in collaboration with the Freud Museum London. These exhibitions are complemented by Cubo: Antes de Faro, an immersive experience exploring the memory of the building and the city, and Llamita, a space for play, experimentation and shared creativity for visitors of different ages.
The cultural offering also includes dining spaces and a shop dedicated to art and design, providing further ways to enjoy the centre
Exhibitions, immersive experiences and creative spaces offer different ways to engage with art and heritage. Across all of them, visitor engagement is an integral part of the cultural experience.
At Faro Santander, the Magmacultura team provides visitor welcome and assistance services, coordinates visits and delivers cultural mediation activities. Our work extends across the exhibition spaces, Cubo’s immersive experiences and Llamita’s educational activities.
Behind every visit are people who make encounters with culture possible. From the initial welcome to participation in activities, our team helps visitors from different backgrounds enjoy everything the centre has to offer.
Our involvement in Faro Santander strengthens Magmacultura’s presence along the city’s waterfront, where our teams also work at Centro BotÃn and Naves de Gamazo, home to Fundación ENAIRE.
Three cultural centres developed by different institutions, each with its own identity, programme and audiences, reflecting our ongoing connection with Santander’s cultural life.
We invite you to discover Faro Santander and find your own way to experience it.
Every visit is an opportunity to discover new perspectives on art and heritage. At Faro Santander, the cultural experience is also shaped by the connections between people.
