The museum is housed in a building complex designed by a Spanish award-winning architect and is stunning to experience. The wide open space of the interior is dominated by a recreation of the landscape of the Sierra de Atapuerca, which is the location of the nearby UNESCO world heritage sites where significant human and hominid fossils have been found.

These significant fossils are housed on the lower floor level. Of particular note are the unique remains of Homo antecessor. An archaic human species which was present in Western Europe between 1.2 and 0.8 million years ago. This is the oldest fossil record of the Homo linage that has been found in Europe. Artifacts and bones from the cave where they were found, suggest that H.antecessor may have practiced cannibalism. Our current day knowledge suggests that H.antecessor was an early form of H.heidelbergensis, who are in turn seen as the ancestors of the European Neanderthals. Fossil remains of all these other species are found in the museum and have also come from the Sierra de Atapuerca area.

You come up from the lower level to the ground floor. This is dedicated to the theory of evolution, including a life-size recreation of  hominoid, hominid and human species - not to be missed. The other floor levels are reached by open-plan escalators which sweep up through the building showcasing the architecture. The first floor looks at the development of human culture and technology, whilst the second floor looks at human evolution in the context different eco-systems.  Overall this is a five-star museum, with high quality curation of exhibitions and innovative displays which integrate and use in an inventive way new technology.