Museum of the History of Ponce

The Museum of the History of Ponce, or "Museo de la Historia de Ponce", offers visitors to the city a marvelous opportunity to explore the past. Located in the Casa Salazar, the museum is an architectural wonder in itself. The museum in Ponce was officially opened in 1992. If you would like to find out more about Ponce, the Museum of the History of Ponce is a fantastic start.

Casa Salazar, in which you will find the historical museum of Ponce, was originally constructed in 1911. Its unique design encompasses Moorish, ponceño and neoclassical influences. The marvelous structure features mosaics, impressive columns, stained-glass windows, balconies, pressed-tin ceilings, interior patios and jalousies.

Although the Museum of the History of Ponce was inaugurated in 1992, the concept was born during the 1930s. The Secretariat organized the project and the museum's collection started being built. Later on the Casa Salazar was purchased along with the Casa Zapater and the old site of Casa Shuck Gelpi. Although some time passed, the project came to the fore again in the 1980s. Over a period of four years the buildings in which the museum was to be housed were restored, allowing the museum to be officially opened in 1992. Today Ponce's history museum is a popular attraction and an important hub of Puerto Rican culture. Improvements and developments continue to take place to create a top-class facility.

The Museum of the History of Ponce guides visitors through the city's history right back to the time of the Taíno Indians. A number of permanent exhibits with interactive displays have been created to document various aspects of the history of Ponce. The Ecology Exhibition hall gives an overview of the landscape, climate, natural resources and animal life in the municipality of Ponce. In the Politics section you will learn about how Ponce has contributed to politics in Puerto Rico as well as to general political situations in the history of Puerto Rico. The Panorama Hall explores mankind's interaction with the environment. It takes visitors though the original settlements established in Ponce right up to recent developments. Stroll through the Architecture and Urban Development room to find out about the development of Ponce's urban landscape. You will also discover architects and architectural themes through the history of Ponce. The scale model is fascinating.

For a look into the economic development of the city you can pop into the Economic Activity Exhibit where you can examine what has contributed to its growth. Visit the Health and Medicine Exhibition Hall to walk through the history of major health institutions in the city. Also documented in this section are various important events such as the first kidney transplant in Puerto Rico. To round off your fascinating adventure visit the “Ponce is Ponce” Multimedia Presentation which gives visitors a 35-minute audiovisual journey of Puerto Rico's History over 300 years.

User Comments & Reviews: 3 Comment(s)

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PuertoRico.com Team - 2011-04-25 08:18:12

Thank you for visiting PuertoRico.com. Please note that we do not represent the Museum of the History of Ponce. You need to contact them directly with your queries. -- Best wishes, PuertoRico.com Team

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Ray Osborne - 2011-04-24 17:13:03

I am writing a story for publication about the celebrations surrounding Ponce de Leon. I have come across shared cultural exchanges between Florida and Puerto Rico on this topic. Do you have any information in your archives on this? I am happy to exchange information. -RKO

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Valerie Gawin - 2010-03-17 16:07:49

Does the library possess any documents related to the freedom of slaves of 1872. My great great great grandmother Mercedes and her four daughters were slaves of Juan Franceschi. Were the surnames given to the slaves or were some of the slaves fathered by the Franceschi clan. Guuillermo Schuck was also my great grandfather. I am also a Salazar Michel

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