To preserve:
A collection of metal objects and other materials made by metalworking archaeological cultures in the country today known as Colombia, with a view to conserving this legacy of the pre-Hispanic past as part of the cultural heritage of present and future generations of Colombians.

To research and classify:
That collection and those cultures, in order to provide the said archaeological collection with a context and meaning.

To make known:
Those cultures from our past through that collection, in order to direct the generous contribution made available to society by the Banco de la República towards promoting a feeling of belonging amongst Colombians, by giving a constructive example - the past - of our cultural riches and our possibilities for the present and future.

Banco de la República began in 1939 helping to protect the archaeological patrimony of Colombia. The object known as poporo quimbaya was the first one in a collection thas has already 65 years.

Read, in Spanish, an article on the history of the gold museum, Museo del Oro (in PDF format).

Many people need to work so the Gold Museum's exhibits can be visited and so the museum's mission may be fulfilled as a cultural entity. The Museum, together with the Luis Angel Arango Library, report to the Cultural Vice Management of the Banco de la República. It is managed by one Director and it has a Vice Director, sections and offices.

For preservation purposes, the Registration Section manages and controls the different collections so they are kept appropriately and safely. Keeping the inventory kept in a data base that is continuously updated is the Museum's core task. Registrars are responsible for taking care of the reserves of the collections of metal, ceramics and other materials, they take the pieces to the employees requesting them for research, analysis, photographing, assembly or other specific activities and then returns them to the deposits keeping a record of each movement with the care of a notary. They are also responsible for coordinating the transfer of national and international exhibits and for taking digital photographs with state of art technology.

The Restoration Office works on the ancient objects belonging to the collections to ensure their preservation over time, as well as to maintain their adequate and accurate appearance during the exhibits. It also prepares reports on the condition of each object.

The Preventive Conservation Office measures and controls the environmental conditions of the reserves and the exhibits in Bogotá and throughout the country, ensuring the protection of the archaeological heritage for the future.

The Technical Vice Management is accountable for research: the deputy Director has the knowledge and criteria in archaeology required by the Museum and is the Museum's contact with the anthropology and archaeology worlds.

The Archaeology Office is committed to be continuously updated on the latest events in this field to catalogue and produce scientific knowledge on the collection relating the objects to the correct metal craft cultures producing them. It also carries out studies on the objects as a never-ending source of knowledge. Thanks to their understanding of the different types of public, the archaeologists conceive and coordinate the scripts of the new exhibits and complete their curating process.

The editing and printing process of books and catalogues, as well as the Boletín Museo del Oro and the Museum's Web Site for broadcasting purposes is coordinated by the Dissemination Section, which is also responsible for the Documentation Centre. Research and education is carried out through the Education Services Office and it promotes contact with teachers and offers them various didactic resources on matters regarding the Museum.

The Museology Section puts the collection on show and is accountable for the architecture, design and aesthetics of the exhibits. It guarantees the quality of the presentation of all the visible parts in the rooms; it designs, assembles and maintains permanent and temporary exhibits as the main form of communication of a museum with its public. Museology receives support from the Carpenter's Workshop and the Supports Workshop creating and assembling the metal supports for each object in the Museum's new exhibit.

The IT Coordinator provides support for all the personal computers in the Museum, connected to a modern network offering a large number of tools, and advises and coordinates multiple projects related to new IT and electronic technologies in the museums of the XXI century.

Finally, the Customer Service Section takes care of the visitors who are the reason for the existence of the Museum and prepares the programmes of activities directed to the public. It organises events and it is also the communication channel with the press. The Guides Office is the warm face receiving the visitors and providing them with service and information. This is the final result and the materialisation of all the projects generated in the technical and administrative areas to meet the mission of this great cultural centre.

We must also mention the store and restaurant, the security service, the maintenance technicians, the janitor service and all the external roles, as well as those carried out by the Banco de la República or the Cultural Vice Management, not connected with the Museum. They are all crucial for the life of the Museum and for the good performance of its employees. The Security Service, management, architecture, human resource management, IT, the chemistry department, legal advice and contracts, procurement, auditing and so many other tasks depending directly on the Bank, reinforce the solidity and stability in the Gold Museum characterising the Banco de la República's work both in economics and in culture.

Read, in Spanish, a lecture about the Banco de la República cultural activity (.doc)