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Museum · Santa Marta, Magdalena
Museo del Oro Tairona – Casa de la Aduana
Museum of the Banco de la República in a colonial house opposite Parque de Bolívar, with gold pieces and Tairona ceramics and the history of the peoples of the Sierra Nevada. Bolívar's body was laid in state there.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Museo del Oro Tairona – Casa de la Aduana
The Casa de la Aduana is a colonial two-story house with wooden balconies and a central courtyard, facing Parque de Bolívar in downtown Santa Marta. Built in the 18th century, it served as the customs house and housed government offices, and is considered one of the city's oldest buildings. In December 1830, the body of Simón Bolívar was laid in state there after his death at the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino.
The building houses the Museo del Oro Tairona, of the Banco de la República. The rooms display gold pieces and gold-and-copper alloys, ceramics and stone objects from the societies that lived in the Sierra Nevada and on the coast, with an emphasis on the tairona, builders of cities with terraces and stone stairways like Ciudad Perdida.
Part of the museum is dedicated to the peoples who live today in the Sierra Nevada — kogui, arhuaco, wiwa and kankuamo — showing their way of life, the woven mochilas, their beliefs and their relationship with the territory. Another section tells the history of Santa Marta, from its foundation to the republican period.
The museum is small and can be visited at a relaxed pace in little time; it has air conditioning, which is good in the heat.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Best time
During the hottest hours of the day, as part of a visit to the city center. The museum usually closes one day a week; check the opening hours before you go.
How to get there
At Calle 14 and Carrera Segunda, opposite Parque de Bolívar, two blocks from the malecón.
Tip
See this museum before going to Tayrona or Ciudad Perdida: it helps to understand the tairona and the peoples of the sierra. Notice the arhuaca and wiwa mochilas, which are also sold around the city.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Museo del Oro Tairona – Casa de la Aduana
Who were the tairona?
A people who lived in the Sierra Nevada and on the Santa Marta coast before the Spaniards, builders of stone cities like Ciudad Perdida. The kogui, arhuaco, wiwa and kankuamo are their descendants.
Why is the Casa de la Aduana important?
It is one of the city's oldest buildings, from the 18th century, and it was where Bolívar's body lay in state in 1830.
Is the museum large?
It's small; the visit takes less than an hour.