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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

0.52 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.

0.54 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.

0.76 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

0.76 Km.

Beer Museum

History Inaugurated on July 27, 2009, as a space dedicated to culture and tourism, the museum is located on the banks of the Guayas River, in Puerto Santa Ana, in the same place where the Cervecería Nacional operated since 1887, the year in which the first beer manufactured in Guayaquil was sold and in which the company began its operations as an ice and beer factory. The 70-square-meter museum displays, in three display cases, an investigation carried out by the Guayaquil historian Jenny Estrada, who narrates the 10,000 years of beer history in the world and the more than 100 years of this drink in Guayaquil, which is an iconic product. of the culture and life of Guayaquil, which transformed his working life, since it not only changed the habit of consuming imported beverages but also created jobs. Attractions Miniature figures made of resin, which recreate scenes of how beer was made and transported. In addition to relics, examples of packaging, photographs, recognitions, documents related to beer and a historical review of the Cervecería Nacional, it began operations as an ice and beer factory. Schedule Wednesday to Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sundays: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Entry Free

0.88 Km.

Museum of Popular Music Julio Jaramillo

History Inaugurated on March 1, 2008, sponsored and supported by the Municipality of Guayaquil, it bears the name of Julio Jaramillo, in honor of that Guayaquil singer popularly known as "Jota Jota" or "Ruiseñor de América", considered the best popular Ecuadorian singer. of all times and a symbol in national music. Its objective is to preserve, enrich and spread our musical heritage to new generations. In the museum, a review is made of more than a century of history of outstanding Ecuadorian authors, composers and promoters. The historical journey goes from 1892, when the first school of music was founded in Guayaquil, to 1978, the year of Julio Jaramillo's death. It also includes a historical vision of the phonographic industry in Ecuador and the world, rescuing the contribution of the pioneers of local broadcasting and the national recording industry. Attractions Black and white photographs, record covers, magazines, jukeboxes, cassettes, sheet music, clothing, musical instruments and sound equipment from ancient to modern times. In addition, objects are exhibited such as: large black and white photographs, garments and scores dating from 1892 and that belonged to the first School of Music of Guayaquil that professionalized several musicians who were initially forged empirically. Also attractive are the recreations in statues of the musicians popularly known as "lizardmen" and who gave the traditional serenades below the balconies of the old Guayaquil houses, as well as recognized bars such as La Lagartera and El Fortich that were very crowded in decades. past. Among the gigantographs on display, one stands out that corresponds to the first orchestra of the Philanthropic Society, created in 1910 by maestro Claudio Roza, a group that composed a hymn and a martial music for the former president of Ecuador, General Eloy Alfaro Delgado. In this band, the musician Nicolás Mestanza Álava, popularly known as "Niño Prodigio", stood out in a special way, and this is how the museum highlights it, because being a minor, he became the director of the orchestra. Among the photos, the one of the trip to New York in 1930, of the famous group Ecuador made up of Nicasio Safadi and Enrique Ibáñez, who together with the musical promoter Domingo Feraud Guzmán, came to the Columbia Records studios to record, stands out for its historical value. , in addition to several songs, the traditional aisle "Guayaquil de mis Amores", converted into a popular anthem of the city. Another striking photograph is that of the "American Park" park, owned by the Guayaquil businessman Rodolfo Baquerizo Moreno, which between the 1940s and 1950s was the fashionable place and, in addition to being a sports and recreational entertainment site, carried out the traditional dances with the best national and international orchestras. Regarding the history of the Ecuadorian phonographic industry, which had the "Ifesa" company as an icon for being the first to manufacture records, the first record of 78 revolutions per minute is exhibited, which was recorded, pressed and marketed in the country and that brought the theme "En la Lejanía", a corridor composed in its music by the musical icon of Guayaquil, Carlos Rubira Infante and written by Wenceslao Pareja. In this environment, the original scores and records from the corridors “Ensueño Romántico”, “De Corazón a Corazón” and “Almosna de Amor” also stand out, sung by the Ecuadorian Duo and recorded on their unprecedented trip to New York. Among the sound equipment, located in a special showcase, located in the first room, in a wooden corridor that emulates the floors of the old houses of Guayaquil, are exhibited: a gramophone with the photo of its inventor, the German Emile Berliner and a phonograph, mechanical equipment invented by Tomás Alva Edison in 1877, of which it is known, is the first to emit sounds recorded by means of cylinders made of wax, which were the predecessors of the so-called flat discs that Berliner later manufactured, using zinc, slate and other materials that allowed better quality sounds to be reproduced. There are also the classic jukeboxes and jukeboxes, so popular in the 1950s and 1970s, and now considered relics. Among the photographs, one of the so-called "Estudiantinas" stands out, which were female musical groups, which imposed a fashion at the beginning of the 20th century, for playing unconventional string instruments such as bandurrias, mandolins, lyres, in addition to classic guitars. There is also a special chapter for Julio Jaramillo in which there is a wax statue and a bust with his image, photographs, clothes, records, covers, newspaper clippings and more articles related to him. Among the articles, there is a recreation of a child making shoes, alluding to Julio Jaramillo's first job, before devoting himself entirely to music, and a painting based on a photograph taken by the singer together with several important characters, such as the famous Ecuadorian actor Ernesto Albán, who immortalized the character of "Don Evaristo", a popular character from the mountains, who criticized the social, political, and costumbrista aspects of the country; radio broadcaster Carlos Armando Romero Rodas, one of the biggest promoters of the career of "Jota Jota" and other musicians, taken in the well-known bar "Rincón de Los Artistas" that was the meeting point of the Buenos Aires bohemia. Services The museum has an auditorium (multiple room) for 120 people, equipped with technological resources for audiovisual projections and special programs that put the public in contact with popular musicians. In this space, which bears the name of the immortal composer Nicasio Safadi Reves, the Corridor School works, dedicated to encouraging the talent of young performers and future national composers. The main chairs are in charge of consecrated values of Ecuadorian music, such as teachers Carlos Rubira Infante, Fresia Saavedra, Naldo Campos, among others. Schedule Wednesday to Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sundays: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Entry Free

0.88 Km.