Museums Walk in Santa Cruz (Self Guided), Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz Ethno-Folkloric Museum is temporarily closed, but is scheduled to soon re-open in a new light. It is located in Parque El Arenal, which is a popular tourist attraction itself. The museum aims to emphasize the history of the native population, it features fascinating collections of tools and artifacts used by the native people of Eastern Bolivia. You can find a selection of weapons, tools, musical instruments, some traditional masks, typical costumes, and much more.

Santa Cruz Ethno-Folkloric Museum does not charge an entrance fee, but donations are welcome.

Working hours: Monday – Friday 9 am – noon; 3 pm – 6pm.

The Regional Museum of History is housed in a beautiful building that was once the home of an established Santa Cruz family. The building was appropriated by the government and used for various purposes for a while, and eventually turned into a museum. Today, the museum has three permanent exhibitions; one of them features documents and pictures related to Chiquitano Culture. They show the way Guaraní, Ayoreo, Guarayos, Chané and others who lived in harmony with nature, as well as their deep knowledge of plants. The second exhibition displays items found during the excavation of the Bolivia-Brazil pipeline. These include pieces of the pre-Hispanic cultures. The third is the museum library, but can only be viewed with permission from the curators.

There is no admission fee at the museum. It works from Monday to Friday, 8 am to noon and 3 pm to 6 pm.

Located at the corner of Plaza 24 de Septiembre, the Independence Museum of Santa Cruz was founded by the Society of Geographic and Historical Studies in 2010. The society aimed to highlight the contribution of the citizens of Santa Cruz to the independence of Bolivia. The museum was created with funds from the Society and some private donations. It is housed in the lower part of the Brigada Parlamentaria and features collections of documents, clothes and all kinds of artifacts of the period.

Founded 25 years ago by priest Monseñor Carlos Gericke Reiche, the Museum of Sacred Art is located inside the Basilica Menor de San Lorenzo, in the Plaza 24 de Septiembre. The museum features impressive collections of religious paintings, sculptures, golden and silver relics, and other items dating as far back as 1600. Also, there is a selection of precious gems and metals, and robes worn by priests several centuries ago.

The museum is divided into three sections, each displaying items on specific topics. The first room, called the Wood Room, specializes in wooden sculptures, furniture, and many more. The second section features robes embroidered in gold, dating from the 17th century. The last room displays gold and silver pieces, including crowns, candelabras, shields, and others.

Working hours: Monday, Tuesday: 3 pm - 6 pm, Wednesday- Friday: 9 am - 12 pm, 3 pm - 6 pm.

Located a few blocks from the Plaza 24 de Septiembre, the Museum of Modern Art is housed in an old colonial building that was once used as barracks and later as a school. The building has a large open courtyard in the middle, just as many buildings dating from the 1600's used to have. The building has 10 rooms, but a only a few of them are used for the gallery. Inside the museum, you can see the works of national and international artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. There are no permanent displays, thus there is always something new to be admired. The museum has no entry fee and does allow photography, but without flash.

Located on René Moreno Street, a few blocks from the main plaza, the Santa Cruz Cultural Center is the largest cultural center in Bolivia. It was built in 2009 and is used for various concerts, art exhibitions and many other cultural events.

Santa Cruz Cultural Center is open from Tuesday through Friday 8 am – noon and 4 pm – 8 pm; Saturday 3 pm – 7 pm.

The new cultural center will be used for art exhibits, concerts and many other cultural events.

Noel Kempff Mercado Museum of Natural History was named after renown Bolivian biologist and conservationist, Noel Kempff. It is a small museum, but features a wide variety of items on display. It specializes in animal and plant specimens, minerals and gems. The museum also features an impressive taxidermy collection of birds, insects and animals typical of Eastern Bolivia.

The museum also has its own laboratory, specialized library and a permanent exhibition of photographs related to biodiversity.

The Noel Kempff Mercado Museum of Natural History in Santa Cruz, Bolivia houses animal and plant specimens, minerals and gems, a Spatial Analysis Laboratory, a specialized library, an auditorium, and a permanent biodiversity photography exhibit.