In Calle Jaen you'll find five small but informative museums about La Paz and Bolivia's history and culture, although at the time of writing El Museo del Litoral Boliviano was under renovation. The four remaining museums are El Museo de Instrumentos Musicales, El Museo de Metales Preciosos, El Museo Casa de Murillo, and El Museo Costumbrista Juan de Vargas.
The colonial alley of Calle Jaen in La Paz, Bolivia
The quaint, colourful alley of Calle Jaen lies northwest of El Prado, La Paz' main avenue. The "Street of John" is one of La Paz’ finest streets and arguably its best kept up area in colonial style. It has been beautifully renovated and the alley is lined with colourful, plastered houses that once belonged to La Paz' merchants.
El Museo de Instrumentos Musicales – Bolivia's musical instruments
This Museum of Musical Instruments is the only privately-owned one in Calle Jaen. It provides exhaustive information and exhibits on a wide variety of instruments, some of which are typically used in Bolivian dances or Bolivian festivals. Some of these instruments you’ve most likely never seen elsewhere. It's a great museum to visit with children. There are various instruments that may be touched and even played [watch for the sign "se puede tocar"]. Outside there is a special set-up of musical instruments for children [and their parents] to play with.
Among the museum's interesting pieces are:
- Volcanic rock flutes in the shape of erotic figures representing fertility.
- Examples of chullperíos – old graves, which show how instruments were an important part of burial gifts.
- Flutes of bone and rattles made of heels of goats.
- Guitars made of tatus [armadillos] and tortoise which today is prohibited by law.
- An enormous collection of charangos, the typical ten-string Andes string instruments.
- Panpipes, some of which are beautifully carved, as well as one huge panpipe made of cusi, a type of palm leaf, which can only be played when standing up.
- And apparently it's even possible to make music on the teeth of a mule.
Note that April 6 is the International Day of the Charangos, and that during this day many musical performances take place downtown La Paz. For specific information, check the Tourist Information on El Prado.
Opening hours are daily 9:30-6pm, the entrance fee is 10 bolivianos.
El Museo de Metales Preciosos – precious metals [gold]
This Museum of Precious Metals is better known as La Paz' Museum of Gold [El Museo de Oro]. Before the arrival of the Spanish the Incas already mined the slopes of Potosí for ceremonial and ornamental purposes. The Incas called this mined red silver pirargirita, the Spanish rosicler.
Two rooms are dedicated to the display of ornaments and offerings made of gold, silver and bronze. The third room features monoliths and ancient pottery of the Tiwanaka civilisation, an era about which more can be seen and read in La Paz' archaeological museum downtown.
El Museo Casa de Murillo – House of Murillo
As the name suggests, here lived Don Pedro Domino Murillo, who started Bolivia's revolution for independence on July 16, 1809 but was caught and executed by the Spanish on January 29, 1810. For the Bolivians this date has more importance than their actual date of independence in 1825. Downtown you'll find a plaza named after him: Plaza Murillo.
The beautiful, two-story mansion of Murillo's house displays:
- A library with marvellously carved wooden furniture.
- Textiles, instruments and furniture that once belonged to Bolivian aristocracy.
- Ornaments of silver such as an lectern, cups and masks.
- An impressive painting, "the Execution of Murillo".
El Museo Costumbrista Juan de Vargas – culture and history of Bolivia
This museum is located on the corner of Calle Jaen and Calle Sucre. It gives information about Bolivia's traditions and cultures as well as some historic events of La Paz. There are explanatory panels, photos, mock-ups and a display of ancient ceramics.
The three public museums are open Tue-Fri 9am-1pm / 3-7pm, Sat & Sun 9am-1pm, closed on Monday. Tickets for all three museums cost 20 bolivianos and can be bought at the Museo Costumbrista Juan de Vargas.
La Paz' museums about Bolivia's culture and history
Not only does Calle Jaen have some beautiful examples of colonial architecture, the above-mentioned museums give a good impression of La Paz and Bolivia's important historic and cultural heritage. The area around Calle Jaen is pleasant to stroll around, to drink a typical Bolivian cup of coffee called café destillado with a Bolivian snack, or enjoy a typical Bolivian lunch in one of the nearby restaurants on Calle Sucre.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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