Neuquén Identity in the Álvarez

In former times, visiting museums used to be a boring activity that only lured scientists or scholars. Today, museums such as the Gregorio Álvarez represent important cultural spaces with new dynamics.

The museum is linked to the life and history of the Province of Neuquén and operates in a venue once occupied by Ferrocarril del Sur (Southern Railway), within Parque Central. (Central Park). The building was raised by the English in 1901 and housed the shops of that railway company. It preserves its façade and the splendid original stained glass windows -restored, of course.

The museum has been named after Dr. Gregorio Álvarez, a highly appreciated historian who explored his native Neuquén on horseback to spread the culture of his land later on. He was a writer, a poet and a university professor. However, he is remembered for his great love of ancient traditions.

The museum used to be the temporary seat of the Neuquén Fine Arts National Museum and as such it welcomed important painting and sculpture shows featuring national and foreign artists. It also organized the First International Art Biennial. Julio Le Parc, Francisco de Goya, Annemarie Heinrich are some of the artists who exhibited their work in its rooms.

In the permanent show, major archeological pieces obtained in the territory of Neuquén stand out, and especially, those rescued at estancia Haichol, located West of the City of Las Lajas. Elements dating from over 7 thousand years ago are treasured in special spaces and visited by schools as part of a provincial educational circuit.

Its glass cabinets display instruments made of stone, such as axes, clubs and engraved plates, unique in their style and which continue to be analyzed by scientists as they are supposed to be over 10,000 years old.

To highlight the educational sense museums are to have and make children familiar with scientific findings carried out in the province, there is a special area for them, where they play at being archeologists. Using replicas of pieces that are scattered around, they must discover, study and classify them according to instructions provided during the visit.

The space for temporary shows is open to all kinds of artistic expressions and includes objects owned by old settlers and used in popular festivals, so as to diversify the cultural offer.

Renovated as far as building esthetics are concerned and featuring a community labor scheme, Dr. Gregorio Álvarez Museum joins the provincial museological circuit. Its downtown location ensures the Álvarez to be one of the most visited venues.