Museo del Oro Zenú

The Museo del Oro Zenú, also known as the Museo Regional de la Cultura Zenú, is run by Colombia's central bank, the Banco de la República, through its Cartagena branch. It opened on 27 March 1982 and was fully renovated in 2006. Its subject is the Zenú culture of Colombia's Caribbean region, and it is one of the best places in the city to see pre-Hispanic goldwork.

The bank lists a collection of 902 archaeological objects: 747 in metal, 105 ceramic pieces, 11 in bone and 34 in shell. When it opened, the core collection numbered close to 700 pieces, 538 of them goldwork, so the displays have grown considerably since the 1980s. The gold is the main draw, and the pieces are displayed with texts and audiovisual material. According to El Universal, highlights include ornaments for the tops of staffs carried by chiefs, Zenú faces, figures of jaguars and caimans and wind instruments such as flutes, ocarinas and the shell trumpets known as fotutos.

The museum is compact, so it suits a short visit and works well with children, with its gold jaguars and caimans, or as a break from the heat of the square outside. The museum has also restored the colonial cistern (aljibe) in its courtyard, a reminder that houses in the walled city once collected rainwater.

Entry is free, according to El Universal's 2025 listing, which also gives opening hours of 09:00 to 17:00 from Tuesday to Saturday and 10:00 to 15:00 on Sunday, with Monday closed. Check locally before visiting, as hours can change. Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the whole collection.

The museum is at Calle 33 # 3-123, directly on the Plaza de Bolívar in the walled city, facing the park. The Palacio de la Inquisición is across the square and the cathedral is on the corner, so the three make a natural morning circuit. If you are visiting with a group or need to check opening times on a public holiday, the Banco de la República's Cartagena branch publishes the phone numbers +57 605 654 5014 and +57 605 660 0778.