Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo is a museum in Medellín dedicated to the life and works of Colombian artist Pedro Nel Gómez who is best known for his work as a muralist.
Gómez is one of the most famous and well-known artists in Latin America. And this museum is considered one of Medellín’s most important cultural tourist attractions. So, this museum is worth visiting. Also, we included Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo in our list of the 12 best Medellín museums.
The artwork displayed in the museum includes a large number of murals, water colors, oil paintings, pastels, engravings, sculptures and wood carvings.
Some of the murals in Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo
“Descent of Christ” by Pedro Nel Gómez, 1929
Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo
Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo was reportedly initially built as a home in 1938 by Gómez. And the house was converted into a museum in 1975 by his family as a tribute to the artist’s work. Furthermore, when the artist died in 1984, he donated his house to continue to be used as a museum.
Since its foundation, the Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo has evolved with different activities that seek to save, preserve and publicize the work of Pedro Nel Gómez.
Before Gómez’s death, the museum was run by his son Máximo, who, upon leaving office, was succeeded by his sister Clío until the year 2000. And when she retired, brother Vladimir was in charge of the museum.
Six years later, as a result of an economic crisis, the museum went through a number of setbacks and was planning to close. But in 2006, with the support of public and private entities, changes were made at the museum, and the doors of the museum were opened again.
A small bedroom in Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo
The museum currently contains some original furniture, family portraits and personal effects as well as expansive gardens in addition to all the artwork.
German piano in the museum that was bought by as a gift by Goméz for his wife and son who played the piano
Also, there are about 1,615 square feet (160 square meters) of murals and about 2,000 pieces of art on rotating display.
One of many murals in the museum
“The republics and the dead soldier on the beaches of Okinawa” by Pedro Nel Gómez, 1945
Some of the artwork in the museum
Additional artwork in the museum
Additional artwork in the museum
“Meeting of boatmen” – wood carving by Pedro Nel Gómez, 1980
Among the programs and services offered at the museum are:
- Temporary and permanent exhibitions.
- Guided tours, with prior reservation, for groups of between 10 and 40 people.
- Documentation Center and Library Giuliana Scalaberni, specializing in the life and work of Pedro Nel Gómez with over 5000 documents and 2000 books.
- Art workshops and academic activities.
- Musical and literary programs.
- El Cafetín – restaurant service.
- El Almacén – a store selling articles and reproductions of the work of Pedro Nel Gómez.
- Certifications of works by Pedro Nel Gómez.
- Restorations of original works of any artist.
- Business and social events.
Entrance fee: the museum is free to enter. But the museum recommends an 8,000-peso voluntary donation.
Pedro Nel Gómez
More About Pedro Nel Gómez (1899 – 1984)
Pedro Nel Gómez Agudelo was a Colombian painter, sculptor, philosopher, urban planner and engineer who is best known for his work as a muralist.
Gómez was one of the most prolific Colombian artists. And he reportedly created 23,680 square feet (2,200 square meters) of murals in public buildings in Colombia. Also, he is considered one of the most important muralists in the Americas during the 20th century.
Gómez was born on July 4, 1899 in Anorí, Antioquia. Since his childhood and he was very attracted to art. So, he started painting from a very young age.
Gómez attended the Academia de Bellas Artes de Medellín, where he completed his studies in 1917. Also, he received a bachelor’s degree from Universidad de Antioquia. In addition, he attended the College of Mines of Medellín where he received a degree in Civil Engineering in 1922.
In 1924, he traveled to Europe to study painting in France and Italy. While in Italy, he met his future wife and mother of his eight children. And in 1930, Gómez returned to Colombia to become a director and professor at the Academia de Bellas Artes de Medellín.
In 1934, Goméz exhibited 114 works in the Central Hall of the Capitol, in Bogotá. Most noteworthy, the prestige achieved with this exhibition in Bogotá allowed him to sign a contract with the city of Medellín for a set of 11 murals in the Municipal Palace.
Also, Goméz founded the Faculty of Architecture of the National University in 1946, where he held the position of dean several times. In addition, he was architect of the Department of Antioquia (1934) and president of the House of Culture of Medellín (1949).
Also, he was a member of the board of the the utility Empresas Públicas de Medellín – EMM (1935), on the Board of Directors of the National School of Mines (1951), of the Administrative Council of Antioquia (1954) and on the National Peace Council (1955).
How to Get to the Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo
Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo is located in the Aranjuez comuna of Medellín. And the museum is located north of the popular Jardín Botánico botanical gardens.
The easiest way to get to Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo is via the Medellín Metro. The museum is located about a 15 minute-walk from the Universidad metro station on Line A. Or about a 15-minute walk east from the Caribe metro station.
Universidad Metro Station
This area of Medellín may seem unwelcoming at first with rarely any tourists. So, if you don’t want to walk, Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo is located about a minimum fare 5,600-peso taxi ride from the Universidad metro station.
I walked to and from this museum. On the way to the museum I asked a few people along the way “Museo Gómez”? And they would smile and pointed the way.
Also, you could take a taxi from your location in the metro area to this museum. Some taxi drivers in Medellín will know where Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo in Aranjuez is located. If not, give the driver the museum address below.
In addition, it’s normally pretty easy to catch a taxi in the street in front of the museum.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/casamuseopedronelgomez/
Address: Carrera 51B # 85-24, Aranjuez, Medellín
Phone: +57 4 444 2633
Email: programacion@museopedronelgomez.org
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm
Museums in Medellín
On the Medellin Guru website, we have looked at 17 different museums in Medellín:
- Museo de Antioquia – the most popular museum in Medellín, worth visiting. It’s best known for a collection of art of Medellín-born artist Fernando Botero.
- Medellín’s Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum) – worth a visit with an intriguing mix of exhibitions located in a striking building.
- Parque Explora – Medellín’s popular interactive science museum and aquarium. It has over 300 activities and the largest freshwater aquarium in South America.
- Jardín Botánico – Medellín’s free botanical gardens that is also considered a museum with over 1,000 different living plants on display.
- Planetario de Medellín – Medellín’s Planetarium and space museum that is very popular and worth seeing, particularly with kids.
- Museo El Castillo – Medellín’s beautiful Gothic-style castle that is a museum.
- Museo Cementerio San Pedro – a cemetery that is also a popular museum in Medellín worth visiting. It also has a church with many beautiful stained-glass windows.
- Museo Casa de la Memoria – a museum dedicated to honoring the victims of urban conflict in Medellín and Colombia and is worth seeing to better understand the city and country.
- Museo del Agua – the popular Medellín water museum.
- Casa Museo Otraparte – a hidden gem in Envigado consisting of a museum, cultural space and café dedicated to the life and works of Colombian philosopher Fernando González.
- Museo Universidad Antioquia (MUUA) – a Medellín museum located on the University of Antioquia’s campus with a huge collection of nearly 40,000 archaeological and natural history pieces.
- Museo Casa Gardeliana – a museum located in Medellín that is dedicated to tango music and musician Carlos Gardel.
- Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo – a museum located in Aranjuez that is dedicated to the life and works of important Colombian artist Pedro Nel Gómez who is best known for his extensive work as a muralist.
- Museo Etnográfico Miguel Angel Builes – a hidden gem museum in Medellín dedicated to showing the cultural diversity of indigenous and ethnic groups in Colombia.
- Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture – Medellín’s palace in El Centro is one of the most photographed buildings in the city. It’s considered a museum by the city of Medellín but there aren’t very many exhibits to see inside.
- Museo Entomológico Piedras Blancas (MEPB) – an insect museum located at the Parque Ecológico Piedras Blancas, which is an ecological park located in Santa Elena near Medellín.
- Museo de Ciudad – Medellín’s City Museum, which is located next to Pueblito Paisa. This museum has a scale model of the city and a photo exhibit with photos from the 1890s to about 1950 showing the history of the city of Medellín.
The 10 English-language Colombia guidebooks that I have are missing several of these museums. And each guidebook only includes six to nine out of the 17 museums in Medellín we have looked at.
Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo in Medellín
The Bottom Line: Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo
Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo doesn’t get as many visitors as the larger museums in Medellín.
It’s is a more obscure museum that isn’t found in many of the English-language travel guide books. However, this museum in Aranjuez is definitely worth visiting to see all the artwork in the museum.
In addition, Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo is located near several top tourist attractions in Medellín including Jardín Botánico, Parque Explora and Parque Norte. So, you could combine a visit to these attractions with a visit to the museum.
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