All About the Museo Fiestas Del Maíz in Sonson, Antioquia

TLDR? The Museo Fiestas Del Maíz in Sonson, Antioquia is a unique place to learn about the corn growing industry in the country. 

Even if you’ve never been to Colombia, you should know that it’s famous for its flourishing corn industry. Aside from coffee and sugar cane, corn is one of the country’s biggest exports. 

Luckily, if you’re going to be spending some time in Medellín, there’s an amazing museum called Museo Fiestas del Maiz in nearby Sonson, Antioquia, that you can check out. 

Museo Fiestas Del Maiz is a museum dedicated to preserving the importance of the corn industry for the Colombians. And if you’re visiting the town, why not take a side trip and visit this tourist destination? 

I had the chance to visit this place while vacationing in Antioquia. Let’s take a look at what the museum is all about and what to expect when you’re there. 

A Brief History of the Corn Industry in Colombia

To help you fully enjoy the Museo Fiestas Del Maiz, it pays to know a bit about the corn industry in Colombia. 

If you get far out into the countryside during your visit to Medellín, you’re bound to find farms growing corn. This is more common in the lower altitude regions of the country than in the mountainous areas. 

Unlike crops such as sugar cane, corn is native to Colombia. Indigenous people farmed this plant long before the Spaniards arrived. 

Although it’s always been an important crop in Colombia, corn only became more important over the years. Today, Colombia is the 68th largest exporter of corn, but a huge amount of corn remains in the country. 

Getting to Museo Fiestas Del Maiz 

Before we jump into what the museum is all about, let’s take a second to talk about how to get there. 

Sonson isn’t the most accessible town from Medellín, which means that if you want to head out there, you’ll either need to rent a car or book a private driver. Renting a car is generally a bit cheaper, but a private driver works well if you don’t want to drive in a foreign country. 

The trip is a bit of a hike since Sonson is a three-hour drive to the south of Medellín. The countryside is pretty, though, so it goes by fast. 

Once you arrive in the village, you’ll need to make your way to the museum. 

You know you have arrived at the famous museum when you see an old house designed beautifully with different-colored windows. 

Inside Museo Fiestas Del Maiz

With the directions out of the way, let’s take a look inside the museum. Here’s what to expect on your trip to the Museo Fiestas Del Maix.

The History of the Museum

Museo Fiestas Del Maiz is mainly about the corn industry in Colombia. It’s housed in Casa Gregorio Gutierrez Gonzales, where the first ever Corn Festival was celebrated. 

Inside the museum, you’ll get to learn a brief history of the corn festival in Antioquia. According to what I read, corn festivals serve as part of Colombian tradition. They are the most essential folkloric event in Antioquia relating to its colonization. 

The corn festival started in 1938. Its main purpose was to highlight the historical colonizing heritage in Sonson. 

Museo Fiestas Del Maiz was constructed from 2014 to 2015, paying homage to the ancestral corn industry that saved the Colombians. It still serves as an iconic place to learn about the corn industry in Antioquia.

What to Expect at the Museum

When I first arrived at the museum, I initially thought I wouldn’t enjoy it. The museum was very old-style, and it looked as if no staff had the time to maintain the place. But because I was very curious about the corn industry in this small town, I gave it a chance. And it did not disappoint! 

When you go inside the museum, it becomes crystal clear that everything will be about corn. From paintings to sculptures, models, and other artworks, you would see that artists really gave importance to corns. 

On the walls of the museums are tons of different photographs. Almost all photos showcased the annual corn festival that takes place every August of every year. 

All of the photos have captions that explain what’s going on and why they’re significant.

The Gift Shop

Every room inside the museum featured old-style decorations symbolizing Sonson’s past. And if you get hungry, there’s a local shop also part of the museum. There are also certain parts of the museum perfect for taking photos. 

The gift shop mostly has small snacks, but you can pick up little souvenirs as well. From entering the museum to visiting the gift shop, my guess is that it’ll take you about an hour to explore everything. 

Immerse Yourself in Corn Cultivation in Sonson, Antioquia

Sonson is a small village, and while there aren’t tons of things to do there, it’s not a bad idea to check out the Museo Fiestas Del Maiz. It gives you a real look at the corn industry in the country and why it’s such an important crop. 

So, rent a car and head out to Sonson for a quick adventure outside of Medellín!

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