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LOCAL Monday 18 deceMber 2023

Create museum memories

ORANJESTAD — Museums are an tical shaft, and the tank at the top.
integral part of conserving and The Water Tower was purchased
honoring cultures, and Aruba is no by the Monuments Fund in 2003 so
exception. Our Island has a wide it can be restored and preserved
selection of various museums for as one of Aruba's monuments. The
our locals and visitors to see. Take Museum of Industry is part of Aruba
this opportunity to learn about our Museum Foundation (Fundacion
island and experience a different Museo Aruban), which is a founda-
day beyond the beach. Let us in- tion set to maintain, preserve, and
troduce to you these museums. protect the Aruban cultural sector,
history, and nature. The museum of
Museum of Industry Aruba Industry is open daily from 9 am till
The Museum of Industry is located 6 pm.
in San Nicolas—better known as For more information, check out
the art capital of Aruba. This mu- their Facebook page Museum of
seum exhibits the industrial history Industry Aruba.
of gold, aloe, phosphate, oil and
tourism through elaborated dis- Archaeological Museum of Aruba museum is especially designed to to the complex was delivered and
plays and multimedia installations. The Archaeological Museum of preserve valuable artifacts dating the museum’s employees moved
The Museum of Industry is situated Aruba is located at Schelpstraat 42 back to the Pre-Ceramic period of to the new location. The final de-
in the Water Tower in San Nicolas in downtown Oranjestad. The reno- 2500 BC. sign for the exhibit was completed
and narrates Aruba's industrial his- vated historic Ecury complex in the in November 2007 and the perma-
tory, which began in the 19th cen- area has been transformed from a In the late 1980’s, AMA identified its nent exhibit, financed by the Aru-
tury. The Water Tower was built in family home to a modern museum need for an adequate housing for ban Government and the Union of
1939 and consists of three sections: that preserves Aruba’s Amerindian its collection and activities. After Cultural Organizations (UNOCA),
the substructure, the high-rising ver- cultural heritage. This 21st century studying various options, a project opened in July 2009.
proposal was drawn up, including
the acquisition and restoration of At the new location, the National
historical buildings in downtown Archaeological Museum Aruba
Oranjestad. disposes of approximately 500 m2
for its permanent exhibit. This exhib-
These historical buildings were for- it conveys information on the origin
merly the property of the Ecury and culture of the first inhabitants
family. The “Ecury Complex”, is a of the island through archaeologi-
cluster of single and two-story his- cal objects and modern exhibition
toric buildings, mainly Dutch colo- techniques. The new permanent
nial architecture from the late 19th exhibit gives the visitor an insight
and 20th century on a plot of ap- into the cultures that inhabited the
proximately 1.700 m2. island in Pre-Historical and Early
Historical times. The museum also
In 1997, the Aruban Government hosts attractive public programs,
bought the complex for the Na- including lectures, educational
tional Archaeological Museum projects, temporary exhibits and
project. In 2004, a financial agree- workshops.
ment was signed with the Europe-
an Development Fund and in 2006, The museum is open daily from 9:30
restoration and construction work am till 4:30 pm. For more informa-
began on the monumental build- tion check out the Facebook page
ings and the soon-to-be exhibition Museo Arqueologico Nacional
space. In December 2007, the key Aruba.q