Let’s spend a couple hours at Kura Hulanda Museum in Otrobanda, Willemstad. Entry is 12USD, guide is 3USD, but you can work through the museum on your own (it’s pretty small). I was especially interested in the island’s connection with Cabo Verde, given its striking similarities in language, food, music, and culture—which was confirmed in the slave records displayed here.
Along with the slave records, the first section of the museum provides an overview of the transatlantic slave trade, with a small replica of a slave ship and other artifacts from that time period.
My favorite part of this museum was the display of African artifacts, architecture and art from various kingdoms and tribes. Here you’ll find replicas of sculptures, instruments, etc. I also loved the grounds 😍
There were a few sections of the museum that felt out of place—a disconnect that becomes more apparent when you realize the Curaçaoan story is largely missing from this museum. It’s more of an overview of the transatlantic slave trade than a representation of what the people of Curaçao endured on the islands. If you want a visual of how people lived on the island, consider adding Kas di Pal’i Maishi to your itinerary!
