Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY AUG 16 2022

Tuesday 16 augusT 2022 locAl
A10

Create museum memories

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

Know more about the Town Hall Eloy Arends building

Government of Aruba, restored in low the wooden floors and allowed of love. Aruban tradition for "well-
1997. Mr. Medardo ‘Dada’ Picus, proper ventilation. to-do" families dictates that be-
was the architect of this Aruban- The building has lots of windows fore a man gets married, he has to
Caribbean building. The building which allow plenty of light inside, present his future wife with a newly
sits on a 1.545 m² plot of land and as well as good ventilation. built and fully furnished house. It
is a typical Aruban mansion. It is an was certainly the case with this
open home with false walls that al- It has dormer windows and crowns building.
low the connection of the rooms on the outside part of the roof and
with each other. different decorations on the edges Due to the engagement between
of the walls and facade. Eloy Arends and Monica Lacle
The entrance has large doors and This is a stunning building full of (daughter of Adriaan Lacle, who
columns supporting the floor of the beautiful details that resemble its is mainly known for the boulevard
upper balcony. In between the beauty and transform into a history that bears his name), the construc-
columns, there are decoration de- tion of the mansion began in 1922
ORANJESTAD - The Monuments bu- tails made out of wood. The elabo- and was completed in 1925 when
reau shares some essential facts rately detailed embellishment is the couple got married.
about the Town Hall known as the known as gingerbread trim and
Eloy Arends building. the triangular decorative wall sur- The Office of the Civil Registry is
face over the columns is called the located in the adjacent building,
The aim is to educate the commu- tympanum. whereas the mansion hall is used
nity about the mansion's construc- exclusively for civil wedding cer-
tion, history, and preservation. The top of the doors and windows emonies.
have stained glass.
The Doctor Eloy Arends building is The Monuments bureau will contin-
located at the Wilhelminastraat 8 The building is not built on ground ue to contribute and educate the
and was the home of the Arends level but at approximately 1.5 me- community about the history of our
family. It was the first building that ters above ground level. This man- monuments with significant value
the Monuments bureau, and the sion elevation created storage be- for Aruba.q