Trips are an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in local cultures and discover the stories behind each city. And museums are a window to the cultural and artistic heritage of each place we visit. Each of them is a space that allows us to connect with the history, identity and creativity of the towns that host them.
We will explore some of the best museums in different cities in the region, and discover their unique collections on your next trip.
Colombia
Barranquilla land of great musicians, writers and painters. A few minutes from the Barranquilla Marriott Hotel is the Carnival Museum, an excellent option to learn more about Caribbean culture and its carnival, one of the most important cultural events in the region. In its rooms are exhibited costumes, masks, photographs and other objects related to this festivity, which is celebrated every year in February.
Santa Marta has been a very dynamic artistic district known for its museums and emblematic historical monuments and was the first city founded in the territory of Colombia in 1525, hence the name of the restaurant of the Santa Marta Marriott Resort Playa Dormida, a hotel that in addition to rescuing the culture of indigenous peoples aims to combine their services and infrastructure with the local culture.
In the historic center of the city of Santa Marta there is a colonial house that awakens the pride of any samarium. In the Colony, this house functioned as the Santa Marta Customs Center and, for more than four decades, it has been the headquarters of the Tairona Gold Museum – Customs House. Its collection brings together more than 500 archaeological, ethnographic and colonial objects.
When we think of Bogota we are transported to a design and modern city, with avant-garde architecture, like the W Bogota, with a contemporary design inspired by the legend of El Dorado (this legend dates from the 16th century and refers to a kingdom or city where gold mines were believed to exist) Less than an hour from the hotel is the Botero Museum, a jewel of Colombian art. This museum houses an important collection of works by the artist Fernando Botero, recognized for his own unmistakable style.
Panama
Art is a relevant aspect that connects travelers with destinations through design elements that embrace local culture in each property. In the case of JW Marriott Panama, the hotel pays tribute to the charm that lies between the Panama Canal and the Old Town, among the most evocative views of the skyline, between the local impetus and the unmistakable idiosyncrasies of Panamanian living. In Panama City, a must-see is the Interoceanic Canal Museum, located in the building of the old Panama Canal Administration. This museum exhibits documents, objects and photographs that tell the story of the construction of the Panama Canal, one of the most important engineering works in the world.
Panama City is full of inspiring architectural designs, as is the case of the W Panama, whose aesthetics and narrative are inspired by the differentiating elements of this land of fish and butterflies, and as is the case of the BioMuseo, designed by the renowned architect Frank Gehry, is an impressive and colorful building that winks at native nature and hosts a walk through the biodiversity and natural history of Panama. The museum's main exhibit, titled "Panamarama," offers a unique multimedia experience presenting the history of the formation of the Isthmus of Panama and the biodiversity that has resulted from its creation.
Ecuador
In Quito, and a short drive from the JW Marriott Quito, is the Museo Casa Sucre, an excellent option to learn more about the history and culture of Ecuador. This museum is located in the house where the hero of independence, Antonio José de Sucre, lived. In its rooms are exhibited objects, documents and furniture that belonged to General Sucre, as well as other objects related to the history of the country.
Towards the coastal zone, in the center of Guayaquil, very close to the Courtyard by Marriott Guayaquil, is the Anthropological and Contemporary Art Museum, one of the most important in Ecuador, with an important collection of contemporary and pre-Columbian art. In addition, it has temporary exhibitions of national and international artists.
Costa Rica
Just 20 minutes from San José, the country's capital, is the Costa Rica Marriott Hacienda Belen hotel, a hotel designed as a cozy colonial hacienda that offers the experience of a resort in the city and from which it is easy to move to local attractions such as the Jade Museum, located in the center of the city. This museum houses an impressive collection of pre-Columbian jade pieces, as well as ceramic, stone and gold objects and tools that belonged to the pre-Hispanic cultures of Costa Rica.
In the town of Punta Islita, located in the heart of the Blue Zone of the Nicoya Peninsula, a few minutes from the Punta Islita hotel, Autograph Collection is the Islita Museum of Contemporary Art in the Open Air. The Museum brings together works made by local artisans with sustainable materials, exhibited according to their type: pictorial, sculptures and jewelry. They all keep the common denominator of highlighting the essence of the community. Some of them are for sale.
Peru
In the Historic Center of Lima you can see a journey through time from the churches and squares that display different architectural styles, to catacombs and art galleries. At the gateway to that Lima of the past, is the emblematic Sheraton Lima Historic Center, and just 10 minutes from the hotel the Lima Art Museum (MALI), a museum that has a collection of Peruvian and international art, which includes from pre-Columbian times to the present. Among its most outstanding pieces are the paintings of the Cusqueña School, pre-Columbian art, Moche ceramics, the viceroyalty art collection and the contemporary art collection. In addition, the museum has temporary exhibitions featuring renowned national and international artists.
Cusco, houses a series of museums that exhibit valuable pieces of art and the Palacio del Inka hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel is in itself an immersive cultural experience through the "Art Tour" where you can learn about the culture and history of the destination through through the 195 original works of art from the Cuzco school. In addition, in Cusco the Inka Museum is an excellent option to learn more about the Inca culture and its legacy. This museum has an important collection of pre-Columbian objects, such as ceramics, textiles, tools and weapons from the Inca period, as well as a section dedicated to the history of the Spanish conquest.
Guyana
In the land known as “the land of many waters”, a reference to the many rivers that the country has and just minutes from the Guyana Marriott Hotel Georgetown is the National Art Gallery, this is a must for art lovers and Guyanese culture. This museum houses an impressive collection of Guyanese art, with works spanning from pre-Columbian times to the 20th century. In addition, the museum has temporary exhibitions of local and international artists that allow to know the richness and cultural diversity of Guyana.