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LOCAL Thursday 10 december 2020

Create museum memories

ORANJESTAD — as from now on and nature. The museum of Indus- toric buildings, mainly Dutch colo-
two interesting museums on Aruba try is open daily from 9 am till 1 pm. nial architecture from the late 19th
are open to the public again. Take For more information check out and 20th century on a plot of ap-
this opportunity to learn about our their Facebook page Museum of proximately 1.700 m2.
island and experience a different Industry Aruba.
day beyond the beach. Let us in- In 1997 the Aruban Government
troduce to you the two locations. Archaeological Museum of Aruba bought the complex for the Na-
The Archaeological Museum of tional Archaeological Museum
Museum of Industry Aruba Aruba is located at Schelpstraat project. In 2004 a financial agree-
Museum of Industry in San Nicolas, 42 in downtown Oranjestad. The ment was signed with the Europe-
better known as the art capital of renovated historic Ecury complex an Development Fund and in 2006
Aruba. This museum presents the in downtown Oranjestad has been restauration and construction work
history of gold, aloe, phosphate, transformed from a family home to began on the monumental build-
oil and tourism through elaborated a modern museum that preserves ings and the new to build exhibition
displays and multimedia installa- Aruba’s Amerindian cultural heri- space. In December 2007 the key
tions. tage. This 21st century museum is to the complex was delivered and
The Museum of Industry is situated especially designed to preserve the museum’s employees moved
in the Water Tower in San Nicolas valuable artifacts dating back to to the new location. The final de-
and narrates Aruba's industrial his- the Pre-Ceramic period of 2500 BC. sign for the exhibit was completed itants of the island. The new per-
tory which began in the 19th cen- in November 2007 and the perma- manent exhibit gives the visitor an
tury. The Water Tower was built in In the late 1980’s AMA identified its nent exhibit, financed by the Aru- insight into the cultures that inhab-
1939 and consists of three sections: need for an adequate housing for ban Government and the Union of ited the island in Pre-Historical and
the substructure, the high-rising its collection and activities. After Cultural Organizations (UNOCA), Early Historical times. The museum
vertical shaft, and the tank at the studying various options, a project opened in July 2009. also hosts an attractive public pro-
top. The Water Tower was pur- proposal was drawn up, including gram including lectures, educa-
chased by the Monuments fund the acquisition and restoration of At the new location the National tional projects, temporary exhibits
in 2003 so it could be restored and historical buildings in downtown Archaeological Museum Aruba and workshops.
preserved as one of Aruba's monu- Oranjestad. disposes of approximately 500 m2 The museum is open daily from 9:30
ments. The Museum of Industry is for its permanent exhibit. This ex- am till 4:30 pm.
part of Fundacion Museo Arubano These historical buildings were for- hibit conveys through archaeo-
(FMA), which is a foundation set to merly the property of the Ecury logical objects and modern exhibi- For more information check out
maintain, preserve, and protect family. The “Ecury Complex”, is a tion techniques information on the the Facebook page Museo Arque-
the Aruban culture sector, history, cluster of single and two-story his- origin and culture of the first inhab- ologico Nacional Aruba.q