Foundation Atapuerca

Foundation Atapuerca is a nonprofit organization based in Ibeas de Juarros, right next to the Sierra de Atapuerca in the Burgos province of Spain. It was created on 26 July 1999 by three researchers — Juan Luis Arsuaga, José María Bermúdez de Castro, and Eudald Carbonell — following the 1992 and 1994 discoveries of human remains over 900,000 years old in the Sima de los Huesos cave. For travelers interested in archaeology and human evolution, it is a useful starting point before visiting the excavation sites themselves.

What does Foundation Atapuerca do?

The organization pursues two main goals. The first is supporting the Atapuerca Research Team (Equipo de Investigación de Atapuerca, EIA) through predoctoral research grants and by organizing the annual excavation campaign at the Atapuerca sites. The second is spreading knowledge about human evolution, particularly as it relates to the Atapuerca findings, through outreach and science-communication projects aimed at the general public.

How do you get to Ibeas de Juarros?

Ibeas de Juarros sits a short distance east of Burgos, along the road leading toward the Sierra de Atapuerca. Burgos has good rail and bus connections to the rest of Spain, and from there the most convenient way to reach Ibeas de Juarros is by car or local bus. This town and the surrounding hills are where one of Europe's most important research projects on early human history has unfolded for decades.

What should you know before visiting?

Foundation Atapuerca is not a museum with exhibits open to walk-in visitors — it is a scientific and organizational body behind the research and the excavation campaigns. Anyone wanting to see the results of its work should head to two related places instead: the archaeological sites themselves in the Sierra de Atapuerca, where excavation work takes place, and the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos, which displays finds and reconstructions tied to discoveries going back hundreds of thousands of years. Visits to the excavation sites are usually run as guided tours, so it is worth planning ahead.

When is the best time to visit?

The excavation campaign at the Atapuerca sites runs seasonally, mainly during the summer months when field conditions allow the work to proceed. That is the best time to see researchers actively at work and get a sense of a project that has continued for decades. Outside the excavation season, the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos is open year-round and offers a way to learn about the research regardless of the time of year.

Why does Atapuerca matter so much to science?

The discoveries at Sima de los Huesos, a cave within the Sierra de Atapuerca, produced some of the oldest and best-preserved human remains found anywhere in Europe. Those finds are precisely what led the three researchers to establish the foundation, aiming to secure continued funding and organization for future work. As a result, Atapuerca became one of the key sites in world paleoanthropology, and the wider area was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of how important its finds are for understanding human evolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit Foundation Atapuerca like a museum? No — it is a research and coordinating organization, not an exhibition venue. Exhibits related to the discoveries are displayed at the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos.

Who founded Foundation Atapuerca? It was established in 1999 by Juan Luis Arsuaga, José María Bermúdez de Castro, and Eudald Carbonell, following the notable discoveries of human remains at Sima de los Huesos.

Where exactly is the foundation's headquarters? In the town of Ibeas de Juarros, in the Burgos province, right next to the Sierra de Atapuerca.

Can tourists access the Atapuerca excavation sites? Yes, but usually only as part of organized guided visits, so it is worth checking available dates and booking a slot in advance.