BoldspiritTravels on a budget: Visiting “el Museo del Oro” ("the Gold Museum”) in Bogota, Colombia [Solo backpacking on a budget in Latin America]

Dear Travellers,

Today we come back to stunning Colombia. As you may remember from my last posts, I arrive in Bogota after a very long ride in busses from Costa Rica to Panama and then a flight from Panama to the capital of Colombia. In case you didn’t yet read it and you fancy to know the whole story here are the links :) BoldspiritlTravels on a budget: From Costa Rica to Colombia. #1 [Solo backpacking on a budget in Latin America], and # 2.

So here I am, in Bogota. I have already climbed Monserrate Mountain and seen the city from above.

Now it is time for some cultural exploration. ;) It’s a museum’s time. There are not many museums in South America as well-known as this one – “El Museo del Oro” which means “the Gold Museum”.

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The history of North and South America is bloody and upsetting. In both cases, the arrival of Europeans is the root of those tragic events. In case of Latin America, Spanish conquistadors were greatly focused on conquering the lands, people and their wealth, mostly gold.

“El Museo del Oro” ("the Gold Museum”)

The “Museo del Oro” is located in downtown of Bogota, one of the main spots in the city. In general the entrance in paid, but if you decide to visit it in Sunday and public holidays, you will get in for free (but it will probably be crowded). Like in many other cases, it is closed on Mondays. Great information for those of you who do not speak Spanish is that the descriptions are provided also in English!

The museum was renovated and expanded in 2008, is spacious and pleasant to discover. It displays pieces of precious materials, many of which gold, from all the major pre-Hispanic Cultures in Colombia and surroundings that survived the Spanish conquest. It has 3 floors and is divided into four exhibitions organised thematically so they are easy to follow:

• “The Working of Metals”;
• “People and Gold in Pre-Hispanic Colombia”;
• “Cosmology and Symbolism”; and
• “The Offering”.

Gold has historically and universally been used as a highly prized status symbol. This metal had particularly deep meaning among Colombian cultures in pre-Columbian times. Its gold color recalled the life giving rays of the sun, a source of worship. Video presentations offered at the museum explain our universal appreciation for precious metals throughout the ages by comparing the pre-Colombian gold items displayed in the museum with bronze statues of central African regions.The piece called Muisca Raft is one of the highlights of the museum.
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Wearable pieces
Shadows wearing crowns, breastplates, earrings? Why not! This is how some of the pieces are displayed in the Museum. I think it’s not only creative but also allow our imagination to follow and immerse.

My overall impression and opinion about “el Museo d’Oro”?

“The Gold Museum” in Bogota, Colombia is definitely a must see! It truly can amaze a visitor with its extensive collection of golden pieces. Additionally, the museum is modern and succeeded in displaying its precious collection in an accessible and interesting way. The museum is doing much more than simply displaying its impressive collection. The curators showed their professionalism, skills, and knowledge in putting all the pieces of the museum in a way that enable visitors to understand how, where and why these objects are important. And, in my opinion, this is not an easy thing to accomplish.

Thank you for being here with me. I hope until next time!
Pura Vida and enjoy the travel! ❤️

• More about me here: You can travel without being wealthy aka a girl from a "struggling" family chasing her dreams!

• Some of my recent stories from South America:
  Boldspirit and the death road - la ruta de la muerte - Bolivia # 1 and # 2
  BoldspiritTravels on a budget: Bogota & my XIX century colonial experience aka how I met another strong woman! [Solo backpacking on a budget in Latin America]