ARTlandya, doll museum in Tenerife

Some plans you stumble on almost by chance, and they surprise you far more than you expected. ARTlandya was one of those for us. It was one of those summer days when you've run out of ideas to keep the kids entertained at home; someone recommended it, and we went without high hopes. We came away delighted. We've recommended it ever since to anyone who asks us about something different to do in Tenerife with kids.

What is ARTlandya?

ARTlandya is a contemporary art museum of dolls and teddy bears set on a rural estate in Icod de los Vinos, in the north of Tenerife. It sounds odd, I know. But bear with me.

Behind the project are Georg and Ingrid Taupe, a couple of Austrian collectors who founded their first doll museum in Austria in 1993 and decided to move it to Tenerife in 2012 after falling in love with the island. Today the collection has more than 600 unique pieces — handmade dolls by international artists in porcelain, papier-mâché, vinyl, wood and felt — plus a teddy bear collection and its own glass-art studio.

But ARTlandya is much more than the museum itself. It's a gorgeous tropical estate with gardens, palm trees, fruit trees and views of the Teide and the north coast. You can wander around at your leisure, have something on the terrace of the museum bar and forget the world exists. It's exactly the kind of plan we look for: peaceful, original, never crowded, and with something real behind it.

How to get to ARTlandya

ARTlandya is in the Santa Bárbara neighbourhood, 4 km from the Drago Milenario in Icod de los Vinos. It's signposted with brown signs from the town centre — follow the directions to the Drago and from there follow the brown ARTlandya signs. In about 4 km you arrive right at the door.

Address: Camino Moleiro 21, Santa Bárbara, Icod de los Vinos

Parking: Free, right in front of the entrance

It's well connected both from the north (Puerto de la Cruz, 20 min) and the south (about 45–50 min from Costa Adeje). It's a perfect plan to combine with the Drago Milenario or a stroll around Garachico.

What to see and do at ARTlandya

The doll museum

The museum tour takes you through restored traditional Canarian houses that work as galleries. Each room has its own atmosphere and the pieces are displayed with great care. Some dolls are genuine works of art — a few are a little unsettling, I won't deny it — and others are so beautiful you find yourself staring at them for a good while.

What surprised us most was the variety of materials and techniques: porcelain, felt, paper, vinyl, fabric… and how different dolls from different artists and cultures can be. This isn't a display of everyday toys. It's real art.

The porcelain doll workshop

This was our favourite by far. Georg, one of the owners, gives a masterclass on the whole process of making a porcelain doll — from the moulds to the final painting. You can touch the materials, ask questions and really understand how something that looks like magic is made.

We weren't expecting this and it's what we remember most from the visit. The girls loved it, and so did I — I've no problem admitting it.

The teddy bear exhibition

In a separate building is the teddy bear collection. Different eras, different materials, different countries of origin. There are some interesting curiosities here, and the girls enjoy this part far more than the main museum. The museum is split into two buildings: one with the teddy bear collection and a main one with the dolls and the workshop.

The GlassStudio and the tropical garden

ARTlandya also has its own glass-art studio displaying pieces made on the estate — a lesser-known part but well worth seeing. And the whole estate has a tropical garden with palm trees, citrus and flowers that you can wander through at your own pace. At the far end, the terrace of the museum bar with views of the Teide and the coast. It's the perfect way to round off the visit: a coffee, a homemade cake or a glass of local wine while the girls talk about which doll they liked best. That's exactly what we did.

ARTlandya tickets and prices 2026

Adult: €10

Child (6–14): €4.50

Infant (0–6): Free (with an adult)

One thing to bear in mind: there's no discount for Canary Islands residents, which feels a shame for such a local museum with so much cultural value. If you're a resident, now you know — no discount, but worth it all the same.

Buy your ARTlandya ticket here

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00. Closed Mondays, 24–25 Dec, 31 Dec and 1 Jan.

With kids — what you need to know

ARTlandya is one of those plans that works well with kids of different ages, but with some nuance.

With young kids (2–6): they love the garden, the colours and the size of the estate. The museum itself can be a bit long for them, but the teddy bear part keeps them hooked. And they get in free, so no drama.

With kids aged (6–12): it's the perfect age. They find the porcelain workshop fascinating, they like the teddy bears and they can already appreciate the artistic dolls without getting bored.

With teenagers: it really depends on the child. Those who like art or anything different will love it. Those who don't, might find it short.

The whole estate is adapted for wheelchairs and pushchairs — no stairs, no problems. Allow between 1,5 - 2 hours to see it all at a relaxed pace, including the garden and the terrace.

The good and the not-so-good

What we loved

• Georg's workshop — unexpected and very educational
• The estate and garden — beautiful, peaceful, never crowded
• The views of the Teide from the terrace
• The quality of the collection — it's real art, not a toy shop
• Adapted for pushchairs and wheelchairs

What we'd improve

• No discount for Canary Islands residents
• Some of the explanatory labels in the rooms could be more detailed
• At weekends it can get quite busy — best to arrive first thing

Is ARTlandya worth it?

Yes, absolutely. Especially if you're looking for something different in Tenerife, away from the usual theme parks and beaches. ARTlandya is the kind of place you don't see coming and then recommend to everyone. The combination of museum, workshop, tropical garden and a terrace with views makes it a complete experience that fills a lovely two hours.

With kids especially — and I say that having been with mine — it's a plan that really works. And if you combine it with a visit to the Drago Milenario or lunch at a guachinche in Icod de los Vinos, you've got a perfect day in the north of Tenerife.

Book your ARTlandya ticket here

The shop — fair warning, it's tempting

At the end of the tour there's a shop. Fair warning: if you go with kids, leaving without buying anything is tricky. They have limited-edition dolls, teddy bears of various sizes and prices, glass pieces from the GlassStudio and more affordable dolls for smaller pockets. We left with a teddy. I'll say no more.

How to combine ARTlandya with more to do in Icod de los Vinos

ARTlandya is 4 km from the Drago Milenario, so it makes complete sense to combine the two visits in the same day. Here's an idea for a perfect day in Icod:

• Morning: the Drago Milenario in Icod de los Vinos
• Late morning/midday: ARTlandya — allow 1.5–2 hours
• Lunch: a local guachinche — Icod is wine country and the guachinches in the area are some of the best in the north
• Optional afternoon: Garachico is 10 minutes away — one of the prettiest towns in Tenerife