Museo El Baúl - Museum Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa - Guatemala

The free, open-air museum of El Baúl is a collection of sculptures found from all over the sugarcane plantation's estate. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a massive stone jaguar that is co-incidentally the symbol of Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa. Some of the sculptures have perplexed experts, such as the giant head with a full beard. An excellent preserved stelae of a ballcourt player is sandwiched between two 3D sculptures of a style not often encountered. There is also a collection of heads with open mouths and you can see from how the backs of the heads were designed how they were supposed to fit into walls as ‘bricks.’ Elsewhere on the grounds, archeologists found a ball court, a sweat bath (temazcal) and an obsidian workshop but these are not open to visitors.

The sugarcane factory itself is no longer in operation but visitors can see an old German steam tractor and two steam engines that used to run on a system of private tracks. These are to the left of the museum.

Reaching El Baúl is easiest done by taxi as part of a tour but there are worker buses in the morning and afternoon, and occasional micro buses to a town further along the road. Otherwise, it may be possible to hitch. It is possible to walk to El Baúl hilltop site from here but be prepared to get lost. Realistically, it is simpler to go the hilltop site first and head to the farm afterward. When arriving at the plantation, skip the first gate and make for the second one which has a sign for the museum. A guard will sign and let you in.

Location:
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Guatemala

Museum

Getting There

Walk for hours, hitchhike or take a taxi.

Travel Tips:

The museum is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. to midday, Saturdays

Relative price: Free

Open Hours from:8 a.m.

Open Hours to:4 p.m.

Days Closed:Sunday

Travel Skills: None

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By Kathryn
Independent and optimistic, I believe in following your dreams and have been doing just that, traveling the world for the last 9 years. British by...

Updated: 16 Jul 2010