The Victoriano Nievez Céspedes Museum has an extensive permanent collection of artifacts that piece together the history of the region. Bring your kids to the fun children’s area beside the informative historical displays in the building of a former hospital.
Capture photos of the elegant off-white colonial façade of the museum and note the red touches. A giant anchor lies outside the building. Enter through the large arches of the colonnade and feel the relief from the afternoon sun.
The exhibits are split into several sections. Visit the pre-Columbian display to learn about the indigenous peoples who occupied the area hundreds of years ago. Inspect their tools and costumes to learn about their ways of life.
Make your way through the pirate enclosure for a sense of the fascinating maritime past along the Gulf of Mexico. Consider the role of pirates and the petroleum industry in the development of Ciudad del Carmen.
Other intriguing exhibits include the collections on the Isla del Carmen, the region’s mountains and rivers and sea. Visit the exhibition hall for photos, sculptures and other works of art. Bring your kids to the toddlers’ play area.
Attend one of the events put on in this building year-round, including music concerts and artistic displays. The site holds dramatic performances, talks on art and history and workshops. Relax in the impressive building’s central patio and admire the wide corridors adorned with columns and arches.
Consider the former uses of the building that houses the museum. It was a hospital set up by local resident Victoriano Nieves on land that served as a graveyard between 1880 and 1883. The museum was inaugurated in 1998. It opens daily from morning until evening, with earlier closing times on weekends.
Find the Victoriano Nieves Céspedes Museum in the western corner of Ciudad del Carmen. Arrive at Ciudad del Carmen International Airport and rent a car for the 15-minute drive west to reach the museum. It is near other attractions including Our Lady of Carmen Church, the Carmelita Theater and the Malecón.
