Taking in History at the Museo Casa De Los Abuelos

TLDR? The Museo casa de Los Abuelos is one of the history museums of Sonson, and is a great place to learn about some history!

Hey there, history lover! 

If you’re here, you’re probably looking for another place full of history to visit in Antioquia. Add the Museo Casa de los Abuelos to your list, located in the town of Sonson. 

After visiting the museum myself, I’ve put together a guide for other tourists interested in visiting. Here we go! 

The History of the Museum

One of the best things about Antioquia is the pride each of their towns has for their respective customs and traditions. Sometimes, they even turn the things that make them unique into museums. 

The Museo Casa de Los Abuelos, or the Grandparent’s House Museum, was created in 1956 to preserve and share the town’s local history between the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Originally, the style of the museum’s exhibitions was meant to highlight the customs of the region, but their concepts expanded over time. 

Currently, the museum houses three kinds of rooms: archaeological, folkloric, and traditional. 

Where Is Sonson

The Antioquian town of Sonsó, located just three hours away from Medellín, is known for its páramo, cool climate, and for having some of the most museums in the Antioquian region. 

It’s a quiet town, where tourists and locals alike enjoy the surrounding natural beauty or take ecological walks along the trails that border the mountains.

The Grandparent’s House Museum is located only a few blocks from the town’s main park, another frequently visited tourist attraction. 

Address: Cl. 9 #7-30, Sonsón, Antioquia

What to Expect From the Museum

Colombian history and culture made me fall in love with this beautiful country, and I’m always trying to travel and learn as much as I can. 

I learned a lot from the Grandparent’s House Museum. Each space in the museum has special features and pieces which tell stories and explain ancient customs. 

Archaeological Room

The beautiful and well-kept Archaelogical room, founded in 1999, houses a collection of pieces from the region’s indigenous communities. These artifacts have been rescued, found, and donated over the years. 

You’ll find pottery figures and vessels, as well as other valuable cultural and historical pieces. However, you won’t see any gold figures in the museum, as these are transferred to other museums.  

Customs Room

The entire museum is dedicated to showing guests what it was like to live in Sonsón in the past. Smaller exhibitions teach the ancient customs and folklore developed in the region many, many years ago. 

You can find the following rooms on the tour: 

Printing Room

The town of Sonsón was once recognized for the profession of printing. In this exhibition, you’ll see different historical typewriters, as well as the old printing press that once printed the town’s newspapers. 

Bank Room

In the Bank Room, you’ll find an exhibition of items used in banks. I was so surprised to see the metal piggy banks people saved money in. They’re a far cry from our modern methods of banking! 

You’ll also be able to check out different kinds of Colombian bills and coins that are out of circulation, as well as receipts and checks. 

School Room

This section of the museum is called La Escuelita, and it’s set up to look like the classrooms of the past. Did you know that children from all different school years used to learn in the same room?

Family Room

Decorated with different items and comforts from almost one hundred years ago, the Family Room provides a window into a Sonsón family home of the past. 

The furniture, paintings, and decorations shed a light on the customs of the time period, such as a place in the home dedicated to prayer. 

In other sections, you’ll see ovens, a tool store, and a dining room. 

The Store

This section is located in front of La Escuelita.

For some people, it can be confusing when they first arrive in Colombia to learn the difference between a store, a minimarket, a supermarket, and a mall.

Colombian neighborhoods often have a small stores within which you can find just about anything you need. These items may not have been in the market. 

In this room, you’ll be able to leap into history and see how items such as rice were delivered to the store. You’ll also get to see where people stored old products and how they advertised their goods.

Barbershop

In this simple room, you’ll see some of the tools used by barbers of the time to cut men’s hair and beards. 

The most striking part of this exhibition is the famous barber chair and the vessel for water. 

Photo Room

The Photo Room was my favorite part of the museum. Although there isn’t a large number of items in the collection, what they had was absolutely beautiful. 

Most of the room contains old photographs, frames, and cameras. 

Check Out One of the Best Sonson Museums

If you loved the Museo Casa de Los Abuelos, you’re in luck. There are so many other wonderful museums to visit in Sonson! 

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