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