Avatars of a museum

Collections, buildings and persons in relation to the Public Museum of La Paz - National Museum of Bolivia (1838-1961)

Abstract

The paper presents a historical journey on the transformations that gave rise to the institution known as the National Museum, the origin of some of the most important state museums in Bolivia. Museums arise based on relationships among collections, spaces, institutions and persons, within defined social and political contexts. In this sense, seven stages are traversed in the history of this museum: itinerant museums as predecessors; the formation of the Public Museum in 1838, linked to the La Paz Bishopric; a stage linked to the Municipality of La Paz; the creation of a National Museum of Natural History; its consolidation and merger with the municipal museum during liberal times to form the National Museum; his adoption of indigenous/tellurist ideas under the title of Museo Nacional Tihuanacu; and its transition towards nationalism, culminating in its subdivision, in 1961, into various specialized museums to this day. During this history, the development, growth, decrease, fusion and subdivision of collections of various kinds are shown; the location of the museums on the La Paz space is traced, and their relationships with persons, institutions and political-social moments are outlined.