Museo Casa de Moneda

The Museo Casa de Moneda at Calle 11 No. 4-93 in La Candelaria, Bogotá, Colombia, is a Banco de la República museum installed in the colonial mint where the Spanish Crown struck coins from 1621, the first gold coinage in the Americas. The mint was founded in 1620 and operated in this building for centuries, continuing under the republic until the early 20th century. The museum tells the history of money in Colombia in a chronological sequence. It begins with pre-Hispanic exchange and ornament, including Muisca tunjos, then presents colonial coinage such as cob pieces and gold doubloons, the republican coins and banknotes of the 19th century, and the modern peso. Exhibits explain the minting process, from the melting and assay of metals to striking and counterfeit detection, and show tools, dies, presses and scales used by the mint workers. The colonial building has thick walls, wooden beams and courtyards, and parts of the workshop layout are retained. Its architecture and the technical displays give visitors a clear view of how the colonial economy processed gold and silver from the mines of the New Kingdom of Granada. The museum also carries out educational programmes, guided visits, and temporary shows of art and history from the bank's collections. Admission is free, which makes it a useful stop in a day around La Candelaria. The museum lies close to the Museo Botero and the Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango, both part of the same cultural network, and a short walk from the Plaza de Bolívar. Explanations are mainly in Spanish, and some English support is offered. The visit is compact, and interest is strongest for those curious about economic history.