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Museums of Medellin

"Discover history, culture and more..."

The historical and cultural collections of the city are well preserved by the most prestigious museums and institutions in Medellin. With the aim of being exhibited to the local community and city visitors for the purpose of education and enjoyment. Travellers are treated to a heavy dose of art and cultural expressions that identify the city of Medellin and the surrounding department of Antioquia. A must for every itinerary is discovering the awesome collections of history, music, painting, photography, sculpture, ethnography, natural sciences, minerals, technology, and numismatics are found in the various museums of Medellin. Some of these museums are themselves true architectural patrimony of the city.


1. Historical Archives of Antioquia (Archivo Histórico de Antioquia)
CARERRA 51 #52-03 TEL: (574) 251-1444

This stunning museum collects, safeguards and exhibits historic documents written by the government of the region of Antioquia, since the Spanish Administration up to 1970. This database has been expanded with other document sources such as the town council of Santa Fe de Antioquia, Notary Publics of Medellin, a photography archive as well as a graphic and cartographic collection.

2. Pilot Public Library to Latin America (Biblioteca Público Piloto para Latinoamérica
CARERRA 124 #53B-40 TEL: (574) 438-5761

Vital source of cultural information not only for the region, but for the entire country of Colombia. Well known writers such as Carlos Castro Saavedra, Manuel Mejía Vallejo, Mario Escobar and the nadaist poet Jaime Jaramillo Escobar - X504, have had a close connection with this arts and literature institution. The museum provides one of the biggest archives of original photographs of Latin America, protected behind glass that dates back as far as 1849, preserved in La Torre de la Memoria (Memory Tower) , a building designed only for this purpose. Also provided are rooms for general reading, audio-visual items, a restaurant and a cafeteria.

3. Gardeliana House (Casa Gardeliana)
CARERRA 45 #76-50 TEL: (574) 212-0968

Historic and cultural patrimony since 1995, the tango dance is explored in detail. There are plaques on display identifying visits from famous personalities including political, show business and literature figures such as Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges.

4. Maestro Pedro Nel Gómez House Museum
CARERRA 51B #85-24 TEL: (574) 233-2633 METRO: UNIVERSIDAD?

MONDAY TO FRIDAY (9-12 & 2-5)
SATURDAY (9-12)
* CLOSED ON SUNDAYS

Master Artist Pedro Nel Gómez, one of Latin America's best known artists, donated his studio/house to be used as a museum upon his death. The House Museum holds more than 1500 works of art, including murals, sculptures, architectural designs, etchings, oil and water paintings as well as frescoes. His work is displayed throughout Latin America and reflect rich Antioquia traditions and depict noteworthy episodes in Colombia's history.

Maestro Gómez, who was an urban planner, designed the Laureles neighborhood in Medellin. In addition to donating the studio/house, he bequeathed his personal library, dedicated to art almost in its entirety, which adds to the attractiveness of the House Museum.

5. Salsipuedes House Museum (Casa Museo Salsipuedes)
CARERRA 91 #65C-95 TEL: (574) 234-1495
www.marinvieco.org

Sculptor Marin Vieco's house was a meeting place of recognized intellectuals and artists such as the poet Jorge Artel, the composer Luis Uribe Bueno, and the musician Lucho Bermudez who named the house after one of his songs.

6. Bank of the Republic Culture Center (Centro Cultural Banco de La República)
CALLE 50 #50-21 TEL: (574) 576-7403
http://www.lablaa.org/banrep_medellin-servicios.htm

Botero's famous sculpture "La Gorda" sits just outside this culture center in Medellin offering a philatelic museum, art exhibit rooms, auditorium and The Financial Documentation Center.

7. Otraparte Corporation (Corporacion Otraparte)
CARERRA 43A #27A SUR-11 TEL: (574) 276-1415
www.otraparte.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Gonz...ez_%28writer%29

This culture center proudly displays and preserves the literary works of the famous writer Fernando González. The Otrparte Villa, dedicated to his life and his works, are on display in his home in Envigado, a beautiful colonial style Antioquian house that was just recently declared a National Patrimony of Colombia in 2006.. González is considered one of the most original writers of Colombia during the 20th century. His ideas were controversial and had a great influence in the Colombian society during his time and still lives on to this day. The González work was the inspiration of Nadaism, a literary movement founded by one of his students, Gonzalo Arango.

8. San Pedro Cemetery and Museum (Museo Cementerio San Pedro)
CARERRA 51 #68-68 TEL: (574) 212-0951 METRO: UNIVERSIDAD
www.cementeriosanpedro.org.co

OPEN EVERY DAY (7:30 - 6)

The San Pedro Cemetery holds the remains of renowned writers such as Efe Gomez, Jorge Isaacs, Tomas Carrasquilla, as well as several former Presidents of Colombia. Given its architectural characteristics including its radial design, mausoleums and its collection of sculptures - the cemetery was declared a National Monument in 1999 and in 200 was elevated to the category of museum. The museum offers guided tours and with certain regularity, holds recreational and culture activities mostly at night in its "Night of Full Moon" program.

9. University of Antioquia Museum
CALLE 67 #53-108 TEL: (574) 263-0011 METRO: UNIVERSIDAD
www.museodeantioquia.org

Founded in 1942, this museum stands just at the heart of the Universidad de Antioquia campus north of downtown Medellin. It is one of the most frequently visited museums in the city, especially by students, since it gathers and holds approximately 40,000 pieces related to visual arts, natural science, history and anthropology. The museum also plays host to many art exibitions ans musicals/plays at concert halls on site.

10. Medellin Museum of Modern Art (Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellin)
CARERRA 64B #51-64 TEL: (574) 230-2622 METRO: SURAMERICANA

MONDAY TO FRIDAY (10-7)
SATURDAY (10:30 A.M. - 5)
*CLOSED ON SUNDAY

Coveniently located in the Carlos E. Restrepo neighborhood, The Medellin Museum of Modern Art is surrounded by a square full of trees and located in the same area where the famous Pilot Public Library resides. Here you will find some of the best samples of contemporary art, including both national and international artists. Its exhibition rooms display paintings, etchings, art installations, sculptures and photographs to name a few. The museum, its comfortable movie theater and its proximity to the National University campus combine to create a relaxed, bohemian feel of days past.

One of the greatest points of interest is the Debora Arango collection, since it is one of the most complete collections of this Antioquian artist in Colombia.The Museum provides a permanent collection from world-famous artists such as: Debora Arango, Enrique Grau, Leonel Gongora, Manuel Hernandez, Olga Almaral, Beatriz Gonzalez, and Hugo Zapate. Another major attraction is the art projection theater, location for the Video International Biennial Exhibition, which takes place in September.

11. Natural Science Museum of San José de La Salle School (Museo de Ciencias Naturales Colegio San José de La Salle)
CARERRA 54A #30-01 TEL: (574) 216-4898

A collection of 28,000 items displayed in five rooms including indigenous objects and murals, as well as a laboratory and meeting rooms.

12. The Castle Museum (Museo El Castillo)
CALLE 9 SUR #33-269 TEL: (574) 266-0900

This turreted medieval-style castle, hence its name, built in 1930, was the residence of industrialist Diego Echavarría Misas until 1971. El Castillo, a museum since 1972, with its numerous stained glass windows, holds a collection of valuable paintings, porcelains, fine crystal, and sculptures. The premises hold year-round activities of all kinds, including antique bazaars, handcraft fairs, and a Christmastime nativity scene exhibition. El Castillo also has rooms dedicated to fine arts and decoration workshops, a library, exhibition rooms, and a concert hall that holds 250 people. The French-castle-inspired gardens surrounding the construction are a sheer joy to the visitor.

13. Mother Laura Ethnographic Museum (Museo Etnográfico "Madre Laura")
CARERRA 92 #34D-21 TEL: (574) 252-3017
http://www.madrelaura.org.co/

This museum features more than 2,000 objects from indigenous communities throughout Central & South America. Some of the exhibits include clothes, work tools, hunting, fishing handcrafts, weapons, musical instruments, housing, and ritual and festivity ornaments.

14. Miguel Ángel Builes Ethnographic Museum (Museo Etnográfico Miguel Ángel Builes)
CARRERA 81 #52-120 TEL: (574) 264-6474

Opened to the public on September 29, 1972, this museum offers 8 exhibition rooms organized by regions and features spiritual and cultural handcrafts from Colombian & world wide ethic communities. One of the most admired pieces is a Maloka (a large meeting house typically found in the Aborigines communities from the Amazon Region of Colombia). There is also an auditorium for lectures, workshops, cinema & video.

15. EPM's Interactive Museum
METRO: SAN ANTONIO

TUESDAY TO FRIDAY (8-6:30 P.M.)
SATURDAY (12-6:30 P.M.)
SUNDAY (10-6:30 P.M.)

This museum is a magical world of science and technology where through playful activities you have the opportunity to understand how the services provided by your public utilities company work. Here you can obtain the answers to questions such as,

How is it that we can get water from simply turning on a faucet?
How is electric power generated?
How does your voice travel through the phone?
What type of future awaits us if we do not take care of our environment?

At the EPM Interactive Museum you can visit galleries dedicated to the following categories and whose names were taken from the Kokama language spoken by a tribe with the same name living in the Amazon basin,

Ikúa: Knowledge
Kuarachi: Sun & Sky
Ikuaka: Thought
Puka Lupuna: Red Ceiba (Native tree to Colombia)

16. Uribe Palace of Culture
CRA 51 #52-03 TEL: (574) 251-1444 METRO: BERRÍO

MONDAY - FRIDAY (8 - 5)
SATURDAY (8 - 4)

With its florid gothic style, it has occupied the old Governors Building since 1987 and is by far one of the most widely recognized architectural works in the city of Medellin. Designed by the Belgian architect Agustin Goovaerts that first came to Medellin in 1920 and was inspired by art nouveau, then at the height of fashion in Europe, proceeded to build the structure under the command of General Pedro Nel Ospina who was at the time Governor of Antioquia (later President of Colombia).

Now renamed the Rafael Uribe Palace of Culture, it is the home of the department’s historical archives and the setting for a variety of events including including a permanent Art Gallery on the first floor. In addition to frequent exhibitions, the Palace holds several examples of Antioquian culture including department libraries, a phonoteque, The Center for Musical Documentation, a cafe and culture shop.

It was originally built as part of a general re-planning of this area of the city with the expansion of the Plazuela Nutibara, the widening of Calle Calibio and Calle Boyaca and the covering of the Santa Elena stream. Finished in stages between the years of 1929 through 1937, the building almost faced demolision in 1960 due to expansion needs. Later the Governor's offices were moved to their new facilities in the administrative center of La Alpujarra (# 25 of this list).

Medellin Factoid: The ironwork dome on top of the building was imported from Belgium in 1928.