Page 11 - AHATA

A9
LOCAL Wednesday 18 January 2023

Create museum memories

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

At the new location the
National Archaeological
Museum Aruba disposes of
approximately 500 m2 for
its permanent exhibit. This
exhibit conveys through ar-
chaeological objects and
modern exhibition tech-
niques information on the