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Pamplona, a city in the Norte de Santander department of Colombia, has a good collection of small museums – if they’re open. We spent two days in the city and tried to visit all the museums and ended up seeing two out five. They’re all located in the city center either on or within a couple blocks of the main plaza.
Casa Colonial
The first museum we visited in Pamplona was the Casa Colonial. This small colonial house has free admission and is located just a few blocks from the main plaza. We spent about 15 minutes there.
We entered the museum and nobody came out to greet us. There were three main rooms with artifacts and photos from Pamplona’s history, including many from the indigenous people who once inhabited the region.
In the courtyard was a carriage and mural featuring important people in Pamplona’s history, the city shield, and the cathedral. Two rooms across from the courtyard contained antique furniture and typewriters.
Casa Águeda Gallardo de Villamizar
Next, we tried to visit Casa Águeda Gallardo de Villamizar, which is housed in a colonial building. The building is located on the main plaza and the main entrance is just around the corner. We knocked on the door and a friendly security guard greeted us. He explained that the staff was out for the week and he wasn’t sure when the museum would be open again.
Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art
Just off the main plaza is the Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art (Museo Arquidiocesano de Arte Religioso). We tried to visit just after Casa Águeda Gallardo de Villamizar but it was also closed.
Ramírez Villamizar Museum of Modern Art
Back to the main plaza, we went to Ramírez Villamizar Museum of Modern Art (Museo de Arte Moderno Ramírez Villamizar), a modern art museum showcasing the work of Eduardo Ramírez Villamizar. He was a local artist who was born in Pamplona in 1922 and died in Bogotá in 2004. Unfortunately, it was also closed. We went back the next day to find it closed again.
Casa Anzoátegui
Finally, we went to Casa Anzoátegui, which is located on Calle Real a couple blocks from the main plaza. It’s a colonial house where José Anzoátegui, a hero of Colombian independence, died on November 15, 1819. The house features as a museum as well as a music school. A small admission fee is charged, and it’s open daily except Sundays from 9am to noon and 2pm to 5:30pm.
When we entered, the staff asked us to come back the next day because there were no guides available. When we came back the next day, an enthusiastic group of local students led us on a tour of the museum. They did a wonderful job, but they explained every single detail about every artifact on display.
