Museums
Museums
Many museums offer free admission the last Sunday of each month.
The Museo del Oro (Gold Museum)
Lots of artwork, from Colombia and beyond, made from both gold and many other materials. Located by the Transmilenio station of the same name, one block from 7th Ave. and the Eje Ambiental.
La Casa de la Moneda
The Museum of the National Mint. Located on 11th Street, between avenues 3 and 4.
El Museo Botero
Works by famed Colombian artist Fernando Botero, as well as many works by Picasso, Monet and others donated by him from his personal collection. Located on 11th Street, between avenues 3 and 4.
The Luis Angel Arango Library
The library, on the right, and the Botero Museum on the left, on 11th St.
This is one of the largest public libraries in Latin America. It has free ongoing exhibitions of art and photography. There’s also storytelling, fiction workshops, concerts and many other activities. Besides books, the library also lends movies and has a large collection of historical manuscripts. Located on the north side of 11th Street, between avenues 3 and 4, across the street from the Juan Valdez Cafe. (The underground parking lot also has a bicycle parking area.)
La Quinta de Bolivar
The colonial home/museum where liberator Simon Bolivar lived some of his final years. It has gorgeous gardens and is very beautiful and peaceful. (Located at the upper end of the Eje Ambiental). On our bike tours, we sometimes pass by the Quinta and even stop and walk through the Quinta. It’s a great stop for kids! English language tours Wednesdays at 11 a.m. anTel: 284-6819/336-6419/10
Museo de Trajes Regionales/Museum of Regional Clothing
The Museum of Regional Dress contains historical and contemporary clothing from all over Colombia. The museum is located in the house in which Manuelita Saenz lived when she saved the life of revolutionary leader Simon Bolivar, making her a heroine herself.
6-20 10th St. Tel: 2826531, 3410403 Fax: 2811903 – Open Mon-Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Museo Claustro San Agustín
One of several museums located on 8th Ave., just west of La Casa de Nariño, the presidential palace. This museum is run by the National University, Colombia’s largest public university, and contains a variety of exhibitions, including history, science and culture. Tel: 342-2340; Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free Admission
Museo Siglo 19 / Museum of the 19th Century
This museum’s collection includes furniture and a pharmacy from the period. Free admission.
Museo de Santa Clara/Santa Clara Museum
Located alongside the presidential palace, this church/museum contains great frescoes and sculptures.
8-91 8th Ave. Phone: +57 1 341 1009
Police History Museum
Believe it or not, many people find the Police Museum very interesting. It’s got both Spanish and English-speaking guides and its collection includes weapons which once belonged to cocaine king Pablo Escobar.
9-29 9th St.
Will these kids someday drive tanks and planes?
Will these kids someday drive tanks and planes?
Military Museum
Into tanks, planes, helicopters and other weapons of war? This museum is on the north side of 10th Street, just above 5th Ave. Colombia is the only nation in Latin America with an active military conflict. Much of the country’s armament was paid for with billions of dollars of United States military support. The U.S. backing has helped to drive back leftist guerrillas – at the cost of many human rights abuses – but hasn’t accomplished its original goal, of reducing narcotrafficking. This is one of many contemporary issues we talk about on our bicycle tours of the city.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez Cultural Center -
This new center, on 11th St. between 3rd and 4th Avenues, was built by Colombia and Mexico in honor of the Colombian Nobel Prize-winning novelist, who has lived for decades in Mexico. The center sponsors conferences and symposiums, has thousands of books for sale and has a Juan Valdez Cafe. Its architecture is also worth admiring.
Museum of Colonial Art/Museo de Arte Colonial
If you like beautiful, centuries-old portraits, this is the museum for you.
9-77 6th Ave. Tel: 341-6017
Museo de Bogotá
On 4th Ave. near the corner of 10th St., this museum has many contemporary exhibitions, such as on the city’s colorful and artistic graffiti.
Museo 20 de Julio
This small museum, located on the northeast corner of the Plaza de Bolívar, played a big role in the history of the region’s rebellion against Spanish rule – and it all involved a flower pot!
Museo de Arte y Cultura -
5a-19 36th St., La Merced; This museum belongs to Colsubsidio and is located adjoining the National Park.
On the south side of 14th St. between 3rd and 4th Avenues (3-41 14th St. – right around the corner from Bogota Bike Tours), this famous cultural center hosts frequent poetry readings. The handsome building is also worth a walk-through itself.
José Asunción Silva was a Bogotá poet who lived in the second-half of the 19th Century.
Leo Tolstoy Russian Cultural Center -
On the north side of 14th St. just above 4th Ave., this small institution located right around the corner from Bogota Bike Tours shows video documentals and hosts talks and debates about Russian history and culture – generally from a leftist perspective. Also events about leftist Latinamericans such as Pablo Neruda and Salvador Allende; 3-86 14th St. – Tel: 480-1226 Cel: 312-540-4663 or 300-487-4702
International Emerald Museum
(Created by the emerald industry) No. 6-66 16th St. (Edificio Avianca) 23rd Floor Tel: 286-4628/283-1248/243-1757 Fax: 286-4259 Open Mon-Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Colombia is the world’s largest emerald producer, but many of the miners work in illegal mines in infernal conditions. Buyng emeralds is also a tricky business, as some sellers hide the stones’ defects. Be careful! (The streets between 5th and 7th Avenues and La Jimenez have many gem shops.)
Museo del Cobre/ Copper Museum -
This private museum located at 14-38 6th Ave., on Rosario Plaza Tel: 234-8630, is located below a store selling copper and bronze artwork.
Also, check out Bogotá’s virtual Photo Museum!
More information about cultural activities in Bogotá is available from the Institute of Cultural Patrimony’s website: http://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.co/
Bogotá’s libraries also have a website: www.biblored.org.co , listing activities including expositions and even concerts.
