The most complete collection relating to Indo-Cuban culture is held in this museum in the town of Banes, known as the archaeological capital of Cuba. It exibits indigenous artifacts such as pottery, jewelry, and tools. Among the thousands of pieces held, two are of particular interest: a solid gold icon, the first to be found in the area, and an indigenous skull with a hole in it similar to one that might be caused by the impact of a bullet. There are also murals depicting indigenous life.

For a long time this was the main arrival point from the sea to the whole of the north coast of the eastern provinces, turning it into a prosperous area. This coastal town, known as the Villa Blanca (white town), still boasts today the most remarkable examples of colonial architecture in the province of Holguín. Its two most important museums are the Colonial Museum, placed in a great neoclassic house built in 1872; and the Museum of Natural Sciences, an exhibition of one of the most complete collections of day time and twilight butterflies of the Antilles.