This famous museum at the Banco de la Republica, the central bank, in Bogota, houses a unique collection of more than 33,600 Pre-Columbian gold ornaments, dating back thousands of years. The museum was set up by the central bank in 1939 to preserve jewellery and ornaments created in what is now Colombia and Peru before Columbus discovered the Americas, by the Chavin, Nazca and Chimu civilisations, starting in 1200 BC. The ornaments range from wonderful gold creations of birds, animals, flying fish, musicians and women with children in their arms to dramatic gold burial masks. Among the most remarkable is a mask found at Tierradentro in south-west Colombia in which the eyes, nose and mouth are so expressive and sensitive that you feel you know the person represented. A pendant of a winged figure with a curious twisted nose ornament looks like a cheerful friend, while a golden raft floating on the waters of a lake depicts a religious ceremony. Animals and bird figures abound; a jaguar attacks a caveman, a heron has a long curved bill, a condor on an ear ornament has a beak of platinum. The museum also runs education programmes about the pre-Columbian world of gold.

Museo del Oro
Calle 16 No 5-41
Santafé de Bogotá 1
Colombia

Tel.     +57 1 343 1111 extensions 1412 or 1424 for information
           on museum programmes
Fax     +57 1 284 7450
e-mail  wmuseo@banrep.gov.co
Web    www.banrep.gov.co/museo

Open

Tuesday to Saturday 9 -16.30
Sunday 10 - 16.30
Closed Monday