The Museum of the Revolution occupies the former Presidential Palace on Refugio Street, an eclectic building completed in 1920 by Cuban architect Maruri and Belgian architect Jean Beleu. It served as the seat of the Cuban government for forty years, witnessing some of the most turbulent chapters in the country's history.
On March 13, 1957, a group of university students stormed the palace with the aim of executing dictator Fulgencio Batista. The assault failed and most of the young attackers were killed. Bullet holes from the attack are still visible in the marble staircase.
Today the museum covers Cuban history from colonial times to the present, with exhibits on archaeology, weapons, paintings, and sculptures. The top floor, devoted to the revolution itself, is the most compelling section — personal effects of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, maps of guerrilla campaigns, and photographs that bring the period to life.
Outside, the Granma Memorial houses the yacht Fidel Castro and eighty-one fighters used to return from exile in Mexico in 1956, displayed inside an enormous glass case. Beside it sit vehicles from the Bay of Pigs invasion, including the tank Castro reportedly used during the battle.