Curaçao - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 231

story of slavery. Child-sized leg irons and a whipping post prepare visitors
for the ultimate proof of man's capacity for cruelty - a full-scale replica of a
dark oxygen-deprived hold of a ship, where Africans were imprisoned dur-
ing the long voyage to the Americas. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for
children under 12; hours are 10 am until 5 pm daily.

434-7765;

www.kurahulanda.com.

Did You Know? Otrobanda means the other side
in Papiamento.

The Curaçao Museum is housed in a restored government building that
was constructed in 1853 and used as a hospital and quarantine center.
Paintings, antique mahogany furniture displayed in replicas of tradi-
tional rooms, old maps, and artifacts trace the island's history from the
Caiquetio Indians to the colonial period and on through the 20th century.
The carillon on the roof is called The Four Royal Children, in honor of the
daughters of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Take time to stroll around
the shady yard, and admire the landhuis-style architecture. Admission is
$5 for adults and $3 for children younger than 14. Hours are 9 am-noon
and 2-5 pm, Monday through Friday, and 10 am-4 pm, Sunday; closed Sat-
urday. On the far west side of Otrobanda on Van Leeuwenhoekstraat,

462-3873.
Basilica Santa Ana was built between 1734 and 1752, and dedicated as a
basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1975. Its back entrance is tucked into a small
walkway off breezy Conscientiesteeg, which is said to get its name (Con-
science Street) from the repentant parishioners who came to the church to
cleanse their conscience through confession. Peak inside the white-
trimmed gray-stone building or sit for a moment on one of the wooden
pews and enjoy the lovely side altars.

Scharloo
The district of Scharloo has beautiful brightly painted mansions and an
intriguing maritime museum. Cross the Wilhelmina Bridge and stroll
through the streets, then stop at:
The Maritime Museum opened in 1998 inside a renovated waterfront
mansion built in 1729. The open wood-and-brass interior houses nautical
artifacts from the island's past, as well as multimedia displays illustrating
the importance the sea has played in Curaçao's development. Visitors are
entertained and educated by a large display of relics, antique maps, and
replicas of historic ships. Tour the harbor on the museum's ferry, have a
snack at the waterside café, and pick up a souvenir in the gift shop. Open
Tuesday-Sunday from 10 am until 4 pm, at the corner of Werfstraat and
Van den Brandhofstraat on the harbor. Admission is $6 for adults and
$4.50 for students and children younger than 12. 465-2327.