We stopped by a few times trying to get in but couldn't we finally found a person at the carnival museum that told us it was closed and scheduled to open in June or July. She wasn't sure.
Has a very good collection of paintings. A collection of guns interesting. Well located, not far from Parque Cespedes
Downstairs were artefacts from pre-Columbian times onwards, and upstairs paintings by Spanish and Cuban artists. We spent a long time there as there was a lot of good things to see.
It could hardly be considered a museum. It is just an accumulation of things without any explanation at all. The building has a beutiful neoclassical facade, but the interior is an ugly sample of industrial architecture in bad shape. Please, miss it.
I’ve been in Santiago de Cuba twice, 1989 and 2009. The third visit a year ago was very rapid –exclusevely for work motives and it doesn’t count. The first time this Museum was closed because it was being refurbished. The second time I visited only the main floor because the second floor was closed again due to reforms. This is the oldest museum in Cuba, inaugurated in 1899 by Emilio Bacardi, city’s mayor and an outstanding writer, historian and bussinessman linked to the Rum Empire owned by his family. The building, nontheless was ready to be used in 1927 and commissioned by Bacardi’s wife, Elvira Cape. The widow gave an important amount for constructed it. It is a fine, elegant neoclassical structure that highlighted whithin the Santiago urban scale. The main floor houses an eclectic collection of items from Ancient World (even an Egyptian mummy brougth by Emilio Bacardy himself is on display) to South American pre Columbian artifacts and Cuban historical objects and some paintings. Nevertheless the second floor is devoted truly and entirely to art but I have not occasion to see it. What a shame! The library is called Elvira Cape in honor to the lady.
A surprisingly good collection of paintings that spanned various centuries. What a surprise to find stunning Flemish and Italian masterworks. Also nice to see European masterpieces not all scrubbed clean by restorers. Ancient artifacts on main floor interesting too including a couple of mummies.Wish the labels were in English too!
This amazing museum have many treasures, from the throne of an slaved african king to momies from egipt...
The gentleman to whom we owe quality rum made an effort to display his family belongigngs in a nice building constructed for this purpose.The museum also gives an idea about the historical course of the country. If you have time, don't miss it.
Very nice little museum lots of different things to see, only bad part was when they asked 5 pesos for a picture ouch....
Santiago was the beginning of our 15 days holiday in Cuba, the name of Bacardi attracted us for a visit (actually moved to Porto Rico after the revolution)The museum is too simple and you can not learn many things about this world famous production of Cuba. I would recommend you to wait Havana for the museum of the rom "Havana Club"