ene 8, 2010

La Casa de la Cultura. Acapulco Culture Center

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Like all major cities in this part of the world, Acapulco has an interesting cultural life spanning most of the activities taking place inside. From museums to historical sites, tourists have a great diversity of attractions to approach the most significant heritage of the region. Indeed, the Casa de la Cultural de Acapulco meets the most important expressions of this Mexican destination 

La Casa de la Cultura in Acapulco, also known as the Cultural Center of the city, offers a distinctive combination of talent and historicity. Inside the building materials are exhibited by prestigious artists of the area with pictographic expressions of anonymous authors of past centuries. In addition, the presentations that interact in the halls of the place is happening regularly, encouraging a greater variety of manifestations.

This ‘cultural center’ is much more than a shop for folk art. There are botanical gardens, a library, a stage for periodic plays and exhibitions, musical performances, poetry recitals, dance workshops, and much more. The crafts shop, called ‘Arte Para Siempre’ or ‘Art Forever’, has some of the finest examples of native art, with full information about each item. If they have on display the small lacquered Olinalá boxes, be sure to get an explanation of how the aromatic wood is used to create these unusual pieces. (Olinalá is town in Guerrero State, whose name means ‘Earthquake Place’.) Hand-woven shawls, brightly painted gourds, baskets and hammocks are on sale. Quality hand-crafted silver jewelry is also for sale. Sometimes the local craftsmen set up tables and ply their art right before your eyes. There is something special about a souvenir of Acapulco that you saw in the making.”

 The facilities of the Casa de la Cultura in Acapulco also enclose a beautiful outdoor theater where they carry on interesting forms of expression of local and international artists: some of the most famous works were submitted worldwide In this scenario of the city. On the other hand, they also develop photo competitions, dances, concerts, among other arts.

Formally called the Instituto Guerrerense de la Culturabut locally (and more commonly) known as the Casa de La Cultura,  this quiet often-overlooked cultural center  –  located at the eastern end of the Costera Miguel Alemán in Costa Azul  -  is a place where you can find craft exhibitions from different areas of the port and from around the State of Guerrero,  as well as exhibitions of paintings and photographs.

Periodically it also offers music,  theater,  cultural events,  and fun-filled classes of dance.  Though the scene changes from time to time,  items such as hand-woven shawls,  brightly-painted gourds,  baskets,  hammocks,  handmade jewelry,  and Olinalá lacquerware are often available for purchase.  Along the Costera sidewalk is a craft store (Arte Para Siempre),  an art gallery (Galería Ixcateopan),   and a small café,  but further in  -  not visible from the boulevard  -  is a park-like area surrounded by mango trees with a small cultural library and an outdoor stage (where performances sometimes take place on Saturday evenings at 7:00pm).  Few travelers know of  -  or take the time to visit  -  this hidden oasis  -  which is owned by the City of Acapulco;  but those who do are usually glad that they stopped.

Casa de la Cultura serves an interesting service to the community within the building are offered various services to the  nhabitants of the city. Language courses, workshops, crafts, painting classes are just some of the forms offered by the institution to train people. Taking into account the value it represents for the region, tourists are vacationing in Acapulco should reserve a space in her schedule to visit this wonderful place.

click the following link;  then expand the image (zoom out) to get a better sense of its location within the city

Open to the public daily from 10:00am to 8:00.  Free.

For a bird’s-eye aerial view of the cultural center,