diff --git a/astroquery/alma/tapsql.py b/astroquery/alma/tapsql.py
index 9af443062f..a762da2a3d 100644
--- a/astroquery/alma/tapsql.py
+++ b/astroquery/alma/tapsql.py
@@ -118,20 +118,25 @@ def _gen_numeric_sql(field, value):
 
 def _gen_str_sql(field, value):
     result = ''
-    for interval in _val_parse(value, str):
-        if result:
-            result += ' OR '
-        if '*' in interval:
-            # use LIKE
-            # escape wildcards if they exists in the value
-            interval = interval.replace('%', r'\%')  # noqa
-            interval = interval.replace('_', r'\_')  # noqa
-            # ADQL wild cards are % and _
-            interval = interval.replace('*', '%')
-            interval = interval.replace('?', '_')
-            result += "{} LIKE '{}'".format(field, interval)
-        else:
-            result += "{}='{}'".format(field, interval)
+
+    # arrays are allowed and will be converted to IN() clauses.
+    if isinstance(value, list):
+        result += "{} IN ({})".format(field, ', '.join(["'{}'".format(val) for val in value]))
+    else:
+        for interval in _val_parse(value, str):
+            if result:
+                result += ' OR '
+            if '*' in interval:
+                # use LIKE
+                # escape wildcards if they exists in the value
+                interval = interval.replace('%', r'\%')  # noqa
+                interval = interval.replace('_', r'\_')  # noqa
+                # ADQL wild cards are % and _
+                interval = interval.replace('*', '%')
+                interval = interval.replace('?', '_')
+                result += "{} LIKE '{}'".format(field, interval)
+            else:
+                result += "{}='{}'".format(field, interval)
     if ' OR ' in result:
         # use brackets for multiple ORs
         return '(' + result + ')'
diff --git a/astroquery/alma/tests/test_alma.py b/astroquery/alma/tests/test_alma.py
index 5198230a22..ff15330ac9 100644
--- a/astroquery/alma/tests/test_alma.py
+++ b/astroquery/alma/tests/test_alma.py
@@ -173,6 +173,14 @@ def test_gen_str_sql():
         "(proposal_id LIKE '2012.%' OR proposal_id LIKE '2013._3%')"
 
 
+def test_gen_array_sql():
+    common_select = "select * from ivoa.obscore WHERE "
+    test_keywords = ["High-mass star formation", "Disks around high-mass stars"]
+    assert _gen_sql({"spatial_resolution": "<0.1",
+        "science_keyword": test_keywords}) == common_select + \
+            "spatial_resolution<=0.1 AND science_keyword IN ('High-mass star formation', 'Disks around high-mass stars')"
+
+
 def test_gen_datetime_sql():
     common_select = 'select * from ivoa.obscore WHERE '
     assert _gen_sql({'start_date': '01-01-2020'}) == common_select + \