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The museums of Hotel Casa Santo Domingo

Writer's picture: Jimena GonzalezJimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

The Hotel Casa Santo Domingo makes you feel like you are being transported into another place and time. In other words, it blends elements of centuries worth of history with the amenities of modern-day luxury.


Originally, Casa Santo Domingo was known as the Convent of Santo Domingo, a 16th-century convent that was founded by Dominican evangelists. In 1773, the Santa Marta earthquake partially destroyed the convent.


In 1989, Casa Santo Domingo opened as a hotel with the primary objective of preserving the baroque architecture and vestiges of the original convent. This includes the ancient walls, tile corridors,


Besides the hotel, the complex also consists of a spa, chocolate shop, restaurant and museums.


There are six museums and two art galleries with temporary exhibits that last between three to six months.


Colonial Museum (Museo Colonial)

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Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

This museum consists of pieces that were produced between the 16th and 19th century. This includes religious paintings, saints, cherubs, archangels, among others.


Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

Archeological Museum (Museo Arqueológico)

Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

This museum has artifacts of pottery and stone from the classical period (200-900 AC) of the Maya culture, including vases, funerary urns, female figures, plates and bowls.


Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

Pre-Columbian Art and Modern Glass Museum (Museo de Arte Pre-Colombino y Vidrio Moderno)

Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

This exhibition consists of alluring glass sculptures that contrasts with the beautiful pre-Hispanic pieces of stone and clay. The purpose of this museum is to showcase the contrast between the old and the new.


Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

Marco Augusto Quiroa Gallery and Artist Gallery (Sala Marco Augusto Quiroa y Sala del Artista)

Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

This enclosure houses artworks by both national and international distinguished artists. Temporary exhibitions typically last between three to six months on a rotational basis.


Silver Museum (Museo de la Plata)

Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

This museum contains silver objects from the 16th to 19th centuries. These include silver candelabras, altar pieces, censers (a container in which incense is burned, typically during a religious ceremony), monstrances, many of which are of liturgical use.


Credit: Jimena Gonzalez
Credit: Jimena Gonzalez

Pharmacy Museum (Museo de la Farmacia)

Credit: Pbase.com
Credit: Pbase.com

Finally, this exhibition consists of containers and furniture used in Guatemalan pharmacies in the 19th century.


The museums are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.


Hotel guests have free admission to the museums and will be asked to provide their room number. Visitors who are not staying at the hotel are charged an entrance fee which includes visits to all the museums.


Another hotel that houses amazing modern art collections, Santo Domingo Del Cerro, is an exclusive part of the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo. You can check out my article for more information.

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