Huaura Museum facts for kids
| Museo Monumental de Huaura | |
The museum's balcony
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| Established | 19 September 1974 |
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| Location | Huaura, Peru |
| Type | Historic site |
| Accreditation | Municipality of Huaura |
The Monumental Museum of Huaura (Spanish: Museo Monumental de la Municipalidad Distrital de Huaura) is also known as the Huaura Balcony (Spanish: Balcón de Huaura). It is a museum in Huaura, Peru, that tells the story of war. The museum honors José de San Martín and his important journey to free Peru.
The museum is inside an old house from the time of the Spanish rule. This house used to be where the Royal Customs of Lima collected taxes. It was recognized as a very important historical place in 1942.
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A Historic Building: The Huaura Balcony
This building was built over 400 years ago, at the start of the 17th century. It was used by the Royal Customs of Lima to collect taxes for the Spanish king. The house was made from materials like thatch, mud, and wood from Nicaragua. It has a front, a hallway, and a main courtyard in the middle.
The building stands in the city's main square. A church used to be there too, but an earthquake destroyed it. Its bell was later moved to Argentina in 1950. This happened because the president of Argentina at the time, Juan Perón, asked for it.
San Martín's Important Stay
The building belonged to Fermín Francisco de Carvajal-Vargas. But during the Peruvian War of Independence, José de San Martín used it. San Martín first declared Peru's independence from the balcony of this very house. It also served as his temporary headquarters before he marched into Lima.
In 1836, the building became the Government Palace for North Peru. This was a state that was part of the Peru–Bolivian Confederation.
Becoming a National Treasure
In 1921, the government of Augusto B. Leguía decided to buy the building. This was to celebrate 100 years of Peru's independence. During that celebration, a big event was held in the town. The main stage was called the Balcony of Independence.
In 1942, the building was officially declared a historical monument. This happened under the government of Manuel Prado Ugarteche.
The Museum and Its Famous Balcony
Since 1974, the building has been used as a museum. It was officially named the Monumental Museum of the District Municipality of Huaura in 1996. The idea to turn the house into a museum came from a special group. This group was formed to celebrate 150 years of Peru's independence. They asked architect Emilio Harth Terré to help remodel the building.
The local government of Huaura District owns the house. However, the famous balcony is owned by the Peruvian State.
In 1985, some items were stolen from the museum. These included a copy of San Martín's sword and a copy of an Argentine flag. The original first flag of Peru designed by San Martín was also taken. Most of these items were later found and returned. But the original flag stayed in Lima. Now, a copy of the flag is used during celebrations in Huaura.
The museum was visited by then-president Francisco Sagasti in 2021. This was part of the celebrations for 200 years of Peru's independence.
See also
- Palacio de la Magdalena: Another historic place where San Martín and Simón Bolívar stayed. It is now part of Lima.
In Spanish: Museo Monumental de la Municipalidad Distrital de Huaura para niños
