Museum July 26

The July 26 museum is housed in a modern school building, in the left wing of the former Moncada Barracks. The history of the museum is the history of the Cuban Revolution.

Barracks on this site were built in 1859. They were the second largest in Cuba. However, their distance from the capital and their location in the highlands made them the target of revolutionary attacks. On July 26, 1953, a carnival was held in Santiago de Cuba. On this day, a rebel attack was scheduled. The leader of the movement was Fidel Castro, according to the plan, his detachment was to capture the main building - the fortress of Moncado. The forces of his brother Raúl and Abel Santamaria were deployed to capture the military barracks. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the attempt to capture the fortress failed. Shooting ensued at an unfortunate moment, the rebels were captured and imprisoned. That includes Fidel.

The museum guides show visitors the traces of the terrible massacre in which more than 1,000 revolutionaries participated. The museum is open every day: PN-SB 9.00-17.00 at 9.00-13.00