Page 12 - AHATA

a8 local
Wednesday 10 september 2025

Create museum memories

Museums are an integral Nicolas, better known as was built in 1939 and con-
part of conserving and hon- the art capital of Aruba. sists of three sections: the
oring cultures, and Aruba is This museum presents the substructure, the high-rising
no exception. Our Island history of gold, aloe, phos- vertical shaft, and the tank
has a wide selection of var- phate, oil and tourism at the top. The Water Tow-
ious museums for our locals through elaborated dis- er was purchased by the
and visitors to see. Take this plays and multimedia in- Monuments fund in 2003
opportunity to learn about stallations. so it could be restored and
our island and experience preserved as one of Aru-
a different day beyond the The Museum of Industry is ba’s monuments. The Mu- ban culture sector, history, logical Museum project.
beach. Let us introduce to situated in the Water Tower seum of Industry is part of and nature. The museum of In 2004 a financial agree-
you the these locations. in San Nicolas and narrates Fundacion Museo Arubano Industry is open daily from 9 ment was signed with the
Aruba’s industrial history (FMA), which is a founda- am till 1 pm. European Development
Museum of Industry Aruba which began in the 19th tion set to maintain, pre- Fund and in 2006 restaura-
Museum of Industry in San century. The Water Tower serve, and protect the Aru- For more information check tion and construction work
out their Facebook page began on the monumental
Museum of Industry Aruba. buildings and the new to
build exhibition space. In
Archaeological Museum December 2007 the key to
of Aruba the complex was delivered
The Archaeological Mu- and the museum’s em-
seum of Aruba is located ployees moved to the new
at Schelpstraat 42 in down- location. The final design
town Oranjestad. The reno- for the exhibit was com-
vated historic Ecury com- pleted in November 2007
plex in downtown Oranjes- and the permanent ex-
tad has been transformed hibit, financed by the Aru-
from a family home to a ban Government and the
modern museum that pre- Union of Cultural Organiza-
serves Aruba’s Amerindian tions (UNOCA), opened in
cultural heritage. This 21st July 2009.
century museum is espe-
cially designed to preserve At the new location the
valuable artifacts dating National Archaeological
back to the Pre-Ceramic Museum Aruba disposes of
period of 2500 BC. approximately 500 m2 for
its permanent exhibit. This
In the late 1980’s AMA exhibit conveys through ar-
identified its need for an chaeological objects and
adequate housing for its modern exhibition tech-
collection and activities. niques information on the
After studying various op- origin and culture of the
tions, a project proposal first inhabitants of the is-
was drawn up, including land. The new permanent
the acquisition and restora- exhibit gives the visitor an
tion of historical buildings in insight into the cultures that
downtown Oranjestad. inhabited the island in Pre-
Historical and Early Histori-
These historical buildings cal times. The museum also
were formerly the proper- hosts an attractive public
ty of the Ecury family. The program including lec-
“Ecury Complex”, is a clus- tures, educational projects,
ter of single and two-story temporary exhibits and
historic buildings, mainly workshops.
Dutch colonial architec-
ture from the late 19th and The museum is open daily
20th century on a plot of from 9:30 am till 4:30 pm.
approximately 1.700 m2.
For more information
In 1997 the Aruban Govern- check out the Facebook
ment bought the complex page Museo Arqueologico
for the National Archaeo- Nacional Aruba.q