Serves as a centre for astrophysical research, technological development, and postgraduate training, as well as being the administrative hub for the Observatorios de Canarias, a meeting point for the international astronomical community, and a coordinator of science outreach. It has a specialized library, a computer centre, workshops, laboratories, meeting rooms, and conference halls.

The quality of the sky above La Palma is a magnet for the giant telescopes of the future. The Observatory currently houses the largest optic-infrared telescope in the world, along with twenty other telescopes and astronomical instruments. These have been responsible for great advances in the study of the Universe. The Observatory Residence provides accommodation for scientific and technical staff.

The quality and prestige of this observatory, witness to major discoveries, make it viable candidate for future telescopes. It hosts the most comprehensive suite of instrumentation for solar studies, together with nocturnal telescopes (both infrared and visible), robotic telescopes, and microwave experiments. The Observatory Residence provides accommodation for scientific and technical staff.

The Centre has offices for research staff and for the management of telescopes, meeting rooms, a library, computer and telecommunications facilities, workshops, laboratories, and storage rooms for maintenance and instrumentation development. It also houses the LaPalma supercomputer, as well as the offices of the Gran Telescopio Canarias and the MAGIC collaboration.

The IACTEC building is the headquarters of the IACTEC teams (Space, Medical Technology and Large Telescopes): it has office capacity for up to 70 people and more than 500m2 of clean rooms, training rooms and events, all dedicated to the R + D + i and the transfer of technology and public-private cooperation.