Municipal Museum of Guayaquil (Heritage)

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Places to visit within 30 km.

Nahim Isaiah Museum

History The Museum was created by the banker and philanthropist Nahim Isaías Barquet, who, in his capacity as general manager of Filanbanco, promoted its development to contribute to the artistic and cultural activities of Guayaquil. The museum's mission is to spread colonial art, since Isaías studied art at the Colonial School of Quito. For this purpose, he assembled a collection of valuable works of art, particularly paintings and sculptures, from the famous Quito School of Colonial Art. About 2,500 pieces of his collection are registered, which currently belong to the Central Bank. The museum was inaugurated on June 25, 1989. Later on July 20, 1996, the museum extended to the field of archaeology, acquiring valuable pieces belonging to the main cultures that inhabited the coastal regions of Ecuador today. The first exhibition in this field was a permanent exhibition, called "Pre-Hispanic Cultures of the Ecuadorian Coast". Due to the economic crisis that Ecuador experienced in 2000, in which several banking institutions were closed, the museum's works were delivered to the Central Bank of Ecuador as dation in payment. Subsequently, the museum remained closed, until on September 30, 2004 it opened its doors again. Attractions The museum has around 2,500 pieces of collection and works of art from the colonial school of Quito, particularly paintings and sculptures, from the famous Quito School of Colonial Art. In addition to a valuable collection of paintings and sculptures of modern and contemporary art. On the first floor is the Temporary and Itinerant Exhibition Hall, and on the second floor, as a permanent exhibition dedicated to colonial art, Cosmogonies is exhibited. Schedule Tuesday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Entry Free

0.21 Km.

Malecon 2000 Recreational Pier

The Malecón 2000 is a 3 km long pier dedicated to family entertainment, meetings with friends, shopping or eating typical dishes. This is a must-visit place to admire the beauty of Guayaquil, in the Pacific Coast of Ecuador. This urban space transformed the life of the port-city and since its opening, in 1999, it is estimated that 98 million people have visited it. It is located in the centre-east of the city, next to the Guayas River. It has spaces for exhibitions and fairs. It has food courts, a shopping center, children playgrounds, observation platforms, monuments, docks, sports areas, an iMax cinema, gardens, museums and the Rotonda Hemicycle. The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) recognized it as a "Healthy Public Space". You can walk peacefully between the Crystal Palace located in the southern side of the Malecón to the traditional neighborhood of las “Peñas” located in the northern side. The latter is a place of artists and bohemia, at the foot of Cerro Santana, which is covered by colorful houses, from where you can appreciate a spectacular panoramic view of the river and the city. From October 25, 2016 a new attraction began to operate, "La Perla" Ferris wheel, the largest in South America. The Malecon 2000 is the central point to visit other interest places in the city of Guayaquil, such as the Historical Park (it is home to native fauna and historical buildings of Guayaquil), the eco-village of Santay Island, the Centenario Park (it harbors to the column of the heroes of October 9, 1820), the General Cemetery or "white city" (it harbors to marble mausoleums carved by Italian artists such as Enrico Pacciani), the Municipal Palace, among other attractions. The tour can be completed with a visit to “Malecón del Salado” (the Salty Pier), with its 55 meters long suspension bridge in the form of an arch, just for pedestrians.

0.47 Km.

National Cocoa Museum

The National Cocoa Museum has 14 rooms which show the origin of cocoa, its regional exchange thanks to the natural passages between the coast, the Andes mountain range and the Amazon. Later, its presence in Mexico more than 3,500 years ago until the 17th century with the Paches and Guancavilcas navigators, where it was processed as chocolate, being considered a drink for the populations of Mesoamerica. The discovery of cocoa by the Spaniards in Pre-Hispanic America, the raft as a means of transporting cocoa across America, the commercial activity of cocoa in Colonial Guayaquil, the looting of the city by legendary English and Dutch corsairs in the years 1687 and 1709 as well as its consequent commercial affectation. Another unmissable experience is the 350° virtual tour of a fine aroma cocoa farm in Ecuador where you can learn about the cultivation process from its birth in the nursery. An issue to highlight is also the valorization of the montuvio as the natural son of cocoa, which contributed to Guayaquil standing out as the world capital of cocoa. The history of the "Gran Cacao" considered as influential groups of approximately 20 families that own 70% of the fine and aroma cocoa farms is part of the tour of the National Cocoa Museum which manages to combine with the historic Panama Street. Schedule Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cocoa crisis with the presence of diseases in the plantations such as "the monilia" in 1916, "the witch's broom" in 1917 and the total desolation in 1940. Finally, its resurgence through the technical-scientific work of Homero Castro Zurita who successfully cloned hybrids of cocoa varieties from the Amazon with others from Trinidad and Tobago which he called CCN-51. The National Cocoa Museum has 14 rooms which show the origin of cocoa, its regional exchange thanks to the natural passages between the coast, the Andes mountain range and the Amazon. Later, its presence in Mexico more than 3,500 years ago until the 17th century with the Paches and Guancavilcas navigators, where it was processed as chocolate, being considered a drink for the populations of Mesoamerica. The discovery of cocoa by the Spaniards in Pre-Hispanic America, the raft as a means of transporting cocoa across America, the commercial activity of cocoa in Colonial Guayaquil, the looting of the city by legendary English and Dutch corsairs in the years 1687 and 1709 as well as its consequent commercial affectation. Another unmissable experience is the 350° virtual tour of a fine aroma cocoa farm in Ecuador where you can learn about the cultivation process from its birth in the nursery. An issue to highlight is also the valorization of the montuvio as the natural son of cocoa, which contributed to Guayaquil standing out as the world capital of cocoa. The history of the "Gran Cacao" considered as influential groups of approximately 20 families that own 70% of the fine and aroma cocoa farms is part of the tour of the National Cocoa Museum which manages to combine with the historic Panama Street. The cocoa crisis with the presence of diseases in the plantations such as "the monilia" in 1916, "the witch's broom" in 1917 and the total desolation in 1940. Finally, its resurgence through the technical-scientific work of Homero Castro Zurita who successfully cloned hybrids of cocoa varieties from the Amazon with others from Trinidad and Tobago which he called CCN-51.

0.96 Km.

Anthropological Museum of Contemporary Art (MAAC)

History The Anthropological and Contemporary Art Museum, also known by its acronym MAAC, is part of the Simón Bolívar Cultural Center, inaugurated on July 30, 2003, whose extension covers more than 10,000 square meters of surface. The objective of this museum is to reinforce the institutional cultural heritage of the city with collections from aboriginal and modern times. In a complementary task, the MAAC also offers many integrated programs that include exhibitions, conferences, forums, film projections, scenic art, an auditorium for 400 people and an esplanade for outdoor shows, with which it fulfills the purpose of promoting heritage. culture at the service of the country's development. Its history dates back to the 1950s when archaeological investigations were carried out on the Ecuadorian coast that brought to light a series of discoveries of pieces of great historical and archaeological value. At that time, the Central Bank of Ecuador decided to create a museum in Guayaquil that was born with the name of "Archaeological, Ethnographic and Modern Latin American Art Museum" that was located in the old Central Bank building on Pichincha Avenue. In 1974 Dr. Olaf Holm was appointed as director of the museum, who organized and increased the archaeological and art collections. In 1980 the museum changed its name to "Anthropological Museum of the Central Bank of Ecuador" operating in a new location located on boulevard 9 de Octubre and José de Antepara street. In 2004 it was opened to the public as the Anthropological Museum of Contemporary Art "MAAC" and in 2009 the name "Libertador Simón Bolívar" Cultural Center was assigned to the complex made up of the Anthropological and Contemporary Art Museum, specialized library, documentary center, auditorium and workshops. That same year, through a General Provision in the Reform Law of the Monetary Regime and State Bank Law, it was established that the cultural areas of the Central Bank of Ecuador pass to the Ministry of Culture, an action that took place on October 1, 2010. Currently MAAC is part of the Network of National Museums of the Ministry of Culture of Ecuador Attractions It is a site rich in art and culture in which the ancestral wealth of the Pre-Columbian era of Ecuador is exposed. The exhibition includes a collection of 50,000 native Ecuadorian archaeological pieces from the pre-Columbian era of the Ecuadorian coast between the year 8,000 B.C. and 1400 A.D. In addition to another collection with more than 3,400 modern works of art. Its building has an architectural design that takes as a conceptual reference one of the fundamental creations of the cultural process of the Ecuadorian coast, such as a Manteña-Huancavilca raft, a pre-Columbian vessel, typical of the ancestral indigenous culture of Guayaquil. On its façade it presents a mural by the painter Manuel Rendón Seminario, whose original design was made in pastel chalk. It also offers permanent exhibitions of archeology and history of Ecuador, as well as contemporary art galleries and a small bookstore of national authors. Its auditorium is frequently used for cultural events such as concerts, conferences and a movie theater. Its terrace is an open-air stage for artistic events. Services The Libertador Simón Bolívar Cultural Center, in addition to the museum, offers: six exhibition rooms, three video art rooms, a lobby and a cafeteria area for conferences, concerts, meetings, among other cultural activities; an auditorium with capacity for 350 people in which the MAAC Cine project is developed, as well as academic and artistic activities; three workshops in which educational courses and programs are held for children, youth and adults; a library with complete and specialized information on anthropology, history and art with more than 20,000 publications; a Documentation Center that offers a system with digital technology that allows access to cultural collections with a small auditorium or area for workshops and meetings; and a bookstore that is a point of exhibition and sale of publications. Schedule Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Entry Free

1.46 Km.

Presley Norton Museum (Heritage)

History The museum occupies the building that was originally the residence of journalist Ismael Pérez Pazmiño, founder of Diario El Universo, who named the town Rosa Herlinda, in honor of his wife. The design and construction corresponds to the Spanish architect Joaquín Pérez - Nín de Cardona. It was built between 1936 and 1940, being inaugurated in 1941. At the end of the 1970s, the mansion passed into the hands of several financial entities. Thus, in 1978, it became the Pacific Bank Archaeological Museum, which acquired 8,000 cultural objects that year. Then, in 2003, the Central Bank took over the museum, starting a restoration process, culminating it as a museum and cultural center. Currently, this Guayaquil heritage asset is the headquarters of the Presley Norton Museum, which was inaugurated as such in 2007 and whose name pays homage to the investigative work of archaeologist Presley Norton Yoder (1932 - 1993) who gave his findings, that include samples on the life and traditions of the aborigines of the coast. Norton discovered in 1970 a large archaeological reserve in the Salango region, where he inaugurated a site museum. The exhibition is part of a collection of objects made up of Norton and Leonor Pérez. His legacy also includes jewelry and ornaments, which testify to the development in metallurgy of the aboriginal peoples. Attractions The museum presents a valuable collection of archeology from the Ecuadorian coast, referring to the Valdivia (4,000 BC -1,500 BC) and Machalilla (1,500 BC-800 BC) cultures. In addition, samples of the Formative Period, Regional Development and Integration are exhibited. It contains 8,000 cultural objects, whose aesthetic quality of the exhibited pieces dazzles with their beauty. As for the building, it presents a pleasant stylistic mixture of wood and concrete, which evokes classic Spanish architecture. Its design conceived with an upper gallery that overlooks the rooms of the old residence, preserves a valuable and beautiful lamp of fine crystals. You can see the fine finishes of the ceilings and the moldings on columns and walls. Services The museum has an audiovisual room that presents in a cinematic way everything that the museum contains and explains a brief history of the pre-Hispanic cultures of the country. There is also a souvenir shop and a cyber-cafe, as a service for tourists. Schedule Tuesday to Friday from 08:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Entry Free

1.68 Km.

Las Peñas Traditional Neighborhood & Lookout

Genesis of the city of Guayaquil, the Pearl of the Pacific. Considered its oldest neighborhood. Las Peñas is at the same time a tourist place, an artist's residence and a place of dynamic cultural activity. In its patrimonial houses there are art galleries. When the sun goes down, an intense night life begins. Cultural Heritage of Ecuador since 1982. In the modern and giant city of Guayaquil, this neighborhood is considered the starting point of the metropolis. Present in the historical development of the Port since the 16th century. It extends to the foot of the Santa Ana hill, next to the majestic and calm Guayas river. To visit Las Peñas is to go into the memories of its colonial street. Recreating the view with the pastel colors of its historical houses. Blue, pink, green, yellow. The great fire of 1896 left very little built heritage of the old city. That is why Las Peñas is so loved by the people of Guayaquil, as the only vestige of its past. For those with a strong heart, there are the stairs. You have to climb 444 steps to the top of Santa Ana hill. On an esplanade, the lighthouse and the chapel of Santa Ana The view extends over Guayaquil and the Guayas River. Ideal place to film or photograph the city. Numa Pompilio Street, the heart of the tourist, artistic and commercial activity of the neighborhood. Full of old houses, built with wood, transformed into art galleries or craft shops. A comfortable place to walk slowly on its cobbled streets, paying attention to details. At the end of the tour, football fans can enter the Museum of Barcelona, Ecuador's most popular team. Or have their photo taken next to the monument to Julio Jaramillo, the world famous singer. At the beginning of Numa Pompilio Street is La Planchada, a reconstruction of an old Spanish fortress, with metal cannons, which once served to defend Guayaquil from pirate attacks. From this fort, the Malecón 2000, the main tourist attraction of the port, begins to the north. For those with time and a bohemian spirit, during the night from Tuesday to Sunday, bars, discos and karaoke bars open in Las Peñas. Friends from the past can visit Plaza Francisco de Orellana or the Memorial to Leon Febres Cordero, former president of Ecuador and former mayor of Guayaquil. Attached to the memory of Las Peñas are the names of at least 11 former presidents of Ecuador who once lived there. Writers, historians, painters, educators, musicians, made it their home. The sculptor Yela Loffredo Rodríguez founded the "Asociación Cultural Las Peñas" in this neighborhood. Three names attract attention. Ernesto "Che" Guevara, lived there for a short time. And Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Neruda, winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, were its illustrious visitors.

1.72 Km.