Gold is the colour of winning and Museo Del Oro is definitely number one when it comes to the museums in Bogota. Home to a whopping 55,000 pieces of gold and other materials from almost all of the pre-Hispanic cultures in Colombia, what you'll learn at the museum will astonish and amaze.
Comprehensive in both size and scope, the museum first opened its doors in 1939 and has since spread out to countless thematic rooms that can be found from the second floor upwards. Rooms are divided into different halls for different cultures including Calima, Quimbaya, Muisca, Zenu, Tierrandentro, San Augustin, Tolima, Tayrona and Uraba cultures, some of which inhabited Colombia over a thousand years ago.
One of the many astounding things about the museum is learning about how early artisans made gold and in the 'Profunditation Room' you'll find videos about the museum's most important gold pieces. The most famous of them all is 'Muisca's Golden Raft' which was found in Pasca in 1969. Some other highlights include the animals made from gold (what else?), the 'Offering Room' on the third floor which explains how gold was used in rituals, and you can't leave without seeing the 'Gold Room' which alone contains 8,000 pieces of gold.
There sure is a lot to take in at Museo Del Oro but rest assured because descriptions in both Spanish and English languages can be found. To go into more depth a good idea is to take the free one-hour tour that runs Tuesdays through Saturdays, once again in both Spanish and English.
When it comes time for a meal or a cup of coffee you don't have to look much further than the museum restaurant to give your eyes a break from the sight gold. You'll no doubt be lusting after a few shiny pieces to take home though after visiting the museum and lucky enough for you, on the first floor you'll find a gift-shop that sells fairly priced items of jewellery.
