Memory House Museum image

Memory House Museum

Tourist attraction Museum

One of the Most Reviewed Museums in Medellin


Address

Parque Bicentenario, Cl. 51 #36-66, La Candelaria, Medellín, La Candelaria, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia

Website

www.museocasadelamemoria.gov.co

Contact

+57 604 5202020

Rating on Google Maps

4.60 (5.9K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 9 AM to 5:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 9 AM to 5:30 PM
  • Thursday: 9 AM to 5:30 PM
  • Friday: 9 AM to 5:30 PM
  • Saturday: 10 AM to 3:30 PM
  • Sunday: 10 AM to 3:30 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: museum (37) Spanish (19) history (17) English (16) exhibits (13) Colombia (13) free (12) visit (12) stories (11) information (10)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Tom W. 2 years ago on Google
    This is a small museum. Entry is free. There is a form to collect personal details but only red asterisk fields need to be filled. Required fields don’t require to provide confidential details such as passport number. Museum has 2 floors and it can be visited within 30 minutes. If you are around, it may be good to visit but I wouldn’t recommend to dedicate extras time and go there. Some employees know English.
    12 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ralph N. 1 year ago on Google • 742 reviews
    Small museum, more or less one full floor, with three other exhibition rooms that were not available when we went. You will learn a lot about the armed conflict, violence, disappearing people, trafficking etc. There is a lot of stories and a lot of videos and information about the history of this country. It’s a must visit. Just so you know, museum closes at 530 and not at 6 which is what they list on their website. I recommend 90 minutes to 2 hours for visiting this
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Amanda G. 1 year ago on Google
    If your Spanish is better than mine this is probably amazing. It's a very thoughtful and modern museum and the app does give you an audio guide in English but if you're monolingual English some of the exhibits can be hard to follow. Go if you speak Spanish. Still stop in if you're in the area and your Spanish isn't great. Probably not worth making a special trip if you're monolingual English. The area out front can be a little eclectic (some open drug use, that kind of thing). Didn't feel overtly scary to me but my boyfriend was a little uncomfortable. Worth knowing about if that environment is going to feel sketchy to you.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Laura F. 4 months ago on Google • 156 reviews
    Really glad we spent time. Learned a lot about the tragic history of the city (and country), which gave good context for later tours we did of Comunas 8 and 13. The interactive maps and quotes from young children were especially interesting, I thought.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Julie M. 9 months ago on Google
    Loved this museum so much !!! There have a beautiful scenography, very interactive, make you want to learn about everything!! Highly recommend this museum if you want to know about the social history for the city and the country. On top of that... It's free !!!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Pía R. 1 year ago on Google
    Don’t go, the principal museum is closed. 1st floor is open but only has a very small temporary exhibition. For the moment, it’s a waist of time and metro ticket. Hopefully they reopen soon, the building looks very interesting.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 A.E. S. 8 months ago on Google
    I love the idea behind it but the museum does not succeed in showing the tragic history of the country. It’s more a gathering of different events, not all related to the narco past of the country. Also, if you don’t speak Spanish, the museum is not for you since 95% of the collection (which is about historic events in news papers) is only available in Spanish. Museum is rather small too and the garden behind it smelled tremendously of dog poo
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Deric Lima (. 5 months ago on Google • 226 reviews
    If you want to go deep in the history of Colombia, this museum is a must. Very organised and with tons of information about the main events in the country. I loved the section where I could listen to songs that became very important during the transition of the different phases in Colombia.

  • 5/5 José Miguel Fierros R. 1 month ago on Google • 67 reviews New
    A must visit in Medellín. If you want to learn more about the violent conflicts that have taken over Colombia for years not with morbidity but with the will of learning and understanding, then this is the right place. It’s an interactive museum with lots of activities to do and see, you will definitely understand how Colombia overcame this and why they are an example of resilience. Plus, it is free! You just need to fill a registration page.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 caroline l. 11 months ago on Google
    Very very insightful and creative museum about the history of resistance and cultural evolution of Medellin. Free entrance and very friendly staffs. English self guided audio and wheelchair friendly. It has a library on third floor for adults and kids. Worth it to visit for tourists and locals.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kirsty C. 11 months ago on Google
    Excellent museum recording the impact of the violence of Medellin’s past on its citizens. Information is in Spanish and a number of exhibits had English translations. Free entry. Download the app MCM Medellin and bring your earphones to have the free audio to accompany each exhibit. The adolescents and us parents all thought this was well set out, interactive, modern and really worthwhile. Definitely worth a return visit.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Capt'n M. 2 years ago on Google
    Such a solemn and amazing place. You are humbled to see and hear the stories of over 400,000 murdered or having been missing individuals since the terror times of 1990s. That period of terror is no longer, and this museum is in honor those.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jeffrey F. 2 years ago on Google
    There aren't many physical exhibits here, but instead this is a collection of stories presented through photos and videos. It isn't easy.... this isn't a fun museum. BUT it is important to understand the past and an insight into today's Colombia. A lot of information is available in English, but not 100%. The only downside to our visit was that it was hard to read the exhibits due to the lights being off. They said the lights were dimmed due to the ongoing protests...
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Merve �. 5 months ago on Google • 124 reviews
    It provides fascinating information about violent history of colombia. There is also very nice memorial.

  • 3/5 都娟 1 month ago on Google • 52 reviews New
    Information in Spanish. No friendly for international travelers. Presented in a difficult way to understand

  • 5/5 A C T. 1 month ago on Google • 51 reviews New
    Entry is free (after filling in a brief demographic survey). Helps a lot to have a translation app as the main titles are in Spanish, English and French but not the individual exhibits. Interactive - touch screens, turn the exhibits and expand photos on display screens to get more details. Thought-provoking. Easily accessed by transit.

  • 4/5 K T. 2 months ago on Google • 6 reviews New
    Great exposition to help understand life and the armed conflicts of Colombia, hopefully a thing of the past. Good Spanish capabilities are recommendable, as only some of the content is translated to English and French. The app for the audioguide did not work on my mobile or on my wife's. Multi-language content would be a strong improvement, especially in the case of the history timeline, a central piece of the exposition, which was only in Spanish.

  • 5/5 Nelson A. 9 months ago on Google
    This museum is rich in history and truly evokes emotions. It's incredible to witness the wealth of information they present. Accessible by public transportation, the museum offers exhibitions that touch the deepest aspects of human experience, portraying the diverse nuances of Colombian history.

  • 5/5 Jens Peter O. 2 years ago on Google
    A wonderful museum. It is not a big museum but it has made a very interesting story of the trouble Medellin has been going through. Very much worth a visit.

  • 5/5 Gangalic C. 2 years ago on Google
    Just an amazing museum. Totally worth visiting for understanding some of the country's struggles

  • 3/5 Angeline E. 1 month ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    good but not my favourite. i thought there would be more history and more information shared past when i can get from looking online for a bit. it was cool to see some of his cars but overall a bit dissapointed with paying 40$ CAD. tour guide was nice and friendly.

  • 5/5 Pau K. 2 years ago on Google
    A must see. The museum brings a really modern experience and invites you to revisit some of the most terrible moments of Colombian History with a comprehensive approach, not revictimizing the victims, but honoring their lives. It's free, the museum has free wifi and a free audio guide.

  • 1/5 Sören G. 3 months ago on Google New
    The app (audio guide) is only available for older Android versions and iOS, so I couldn't download it. Also, it is mainly in Spanish, which is unfortunate. The exhibition itself looks interesting, but 80% of it is only in Spanish, also unfortunate. The exhibition shows interesting articles, videos, etc., but doesn't follow a clear structure - the information is rather put together chaotically.

  • 5/5 Aadil N. 5 months ago on Google
    We went on a Sunday morning around noon and there was no line so it was perfect. The museum is a must visit for all visitors to Medellin. Be warned that their app to follow along is outdated and may not work on your phone but the information is easy to follow along with and they have both English and Spanish explanations in the exhibits. The museum does a wonderful job of encapsulating the struggles of the victims in Colombia of the multifaceted conflict in a respectful and dignified manner. If you come to town, you must carve out some time to come here!

  • 5/5 Jared L. 2 years ago on Google
    Deeply moving. I learned so much about the violent history of Colombia Antioquía reigion, the effect on its people, and the hard fought reforms made by Colombians in recent history. The space is solemn with a deeply reflective atmosphere yet very beautiful. Most interprative signs are translated in English as well as French. Definitely north a visit

  • 5/5 Manny C. 2 years ago on Google
    Sacred place where the families and relatives of all Colombians fallen victims of political violence and their bobies have never been found. It's beautiful and quiet. Not for amusement.

  • 3/5 Richard B. 6 months ago on Google
    My Spanish is okay, but the amount of information that's in there should be translated to English and probably other languages as well. I used google lens translate a lot but that gets tedious. Lots of history in there. Not very big. A lot of space was dedicated to the effect of the violence on the victims, but I would have liked more historical exhibits.

  • 5/5 Eric O. 2 years ago on Google
    Excellent museum. Lots of interesting things to see and there's great use of multimedia exhibits. Even though the museum is not huge, I still couldn't see it in one afternoon, so I plan to return. Best of all: it's free of charge!

  • 5/5 Sara U. 7 months ago on Google
    If you're interested in the history behind the violence and the bravery of the paisas, this is your place. Being a citizen from this city, this museum brought me to tears. I love it. It is a sad place but reminds us of our values and strengths too. Must visit place.

  • 3/5 Ho Wai K. 2 years ago on Google
    Most of the exhibits are in spanish, it would be difficult to understand if you know little about spanish

  • 5/5 Olivier H. 11 months ago on Google
    Hit it 👍🏿! It was such a beautiful experience. It is free to enter and the audio guide is free. I would say though if you don't understand or read Spanish unfortunately you will miss out on some context but still amazing.

  • 5/5 Laura S. 6 months ago on Google
    Great museum, I recommend to visit to anybody who wants to learn more about the recent history of Colombia and understand more about the pain people in Colombia went through. In the first room are 4 books/journals with stories from Madres de la Candelaria and they are so heartbreaking that I had to step outside and take a break. Reading these individual stories gives very different perspective to all the number of enforced disappearance. They have interactive screens where you can read in your own pace about events in the past 80 years. It’s just pity that the surrounding area turned into loitering spot.

  • 3/5 Dennis R. 1 year ago on Google
    I like the idea of this museum, but it fell a bit short. Most of the exhibits are only in Spanish, which I find odd because much of it is digital and could be easily translated. Also, while the building has three floors, only one floor has exhibits. The top floor is a library and the bottom floor is a cafe (which was closed when I visited). When I arrived, I was greeted by a staff member in English who explained the museum, however after that I was left in my own, and it was somewhat confusing how to navigate the place. All that said, there was one great exhibit that redeemed the visit for me: there were large screens with life size videos of Colombians telling their stories about the events they lived through in their country. These had English subtitles so I could follow along just fine. This format is really touching, as you get to hear the quite emotional stories directly from the people who told them. I recommend to go, the entry is free, but know that if you don't speak Spanish you'll not understand much of the exhibits.

  • 5/5 Dominique P. 2 years ago on Google
    A must see in Medellin. It gives you tons of informations of the impact the violence has had for country. Very informative, well presented. The interactive part with the newspapers of the last +/- 30 years is a brilliant idea

  • 2/5 Ben 2 years ago on Google
    I don't understand what is special about this museum. Even though I speak Spanish, the exhibitions aren't really inviting or interesting and I walked through the whole place in about 5 minutes confused about what exactly you're supposed to do here. Not only that but the app doesn't work and when you arrive you have to fill out this super long form on a computer that asks you all kinds of personal questions.

  • 4/5 Nick J. 11 months ago on Google
    Impressive and detailed description of the pointlessness of conflict. Very good videos showing three or four personal points of view in detail were especially impressive also lots of different displays and angles on the human impacts. Very little about what the conflicts were about; much more about the personal impact. Made you wonder how Medellín has recovered so well and so fast from the horror.

  • 5/5 cooky v. 1 year ago on Google
    Its so informative and so beautiful. Great to learn about the history and I hope it doesn't repeat itself

  • 5/5 Jo S. 1 year ago on Google
    Beautiful space carved out of a bustling, loud, energetic city. A space for reflecting on how far the people of Colombia have come in their own words, their own story.

  • 5/5 Mara S. 2 years ago on Google
    Wow- this museum is a must! So appreciate how well Colombia transformed and how this museum captures the peoples’ stories. Truth and reconciliation go a long way and the people seem to embrace this philosophy and work to keep the story alive. It was fabulous to see a local school group visiting the museum while we as tourists were taking it in. The guides were on hand to answer questions. Thank you Colombian government for making this happen.

  • 4/5 Rowena K. W. 2 years ago on Google
    The multimedia presentation is somewhat stylized. There are not a whole lot of details. But it is a good start for the healing process. Residents still avoid talking about the decades of violence in Medellin's recent past.

  • 5/5 Filipe A. 1 year ago on Google
    This museum will make you understand the suffering of the people of Medellin and Colombia have endured in the past decades. You can spend one or three hours reading and absorbing the stories that are told here. Strongly recommended!

  • 5/5 Kuan H. 1 year ago on Google
    This is an excellent museum! Although I don’t speak Spanish, I was able to learn a lot through numerous visual content. Some of the video have English subtitles. Lots of respect to those who are working hard to keep those memories for the younger generation.

  • 2/5 Michael M. 1 year ago on Google
    The subject matter of the museum is weighty and important and telling the victims' stories instead of just focusing on politicians and death statistics is admirable. The problem is that it is not done in a way that gives the visitor any context about the Colombian conflict or explains anything at all really as the displays are not well labelled. It would be more impactful if there was more information.

  • 4/5 Ryan W. 2 years ago on Google
    Interesting and emotional. I wish there was more in English or an audio tour. Lots of personal accounts. FREE admission 👍🏻

  • 5/5 Pat C. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent exhibit telling the story of the horrors of war and fascism and the stories of peace and reconciliation.

  • 5/5 Jalil F. 1 year ago on Google
    One of the most shocking and food museums I have ever gone to


Call +57 604 5202020 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair rental
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible parking lot

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