Museo Casa de la Acuarela

Watercolors and Drawing

The museum Is in San Marcos, one of Quito’s oldest neighborhoods within its colonial downtown

The House of Watercolors and Drawing is in San Marcos, one of Quito’s oldest neighborhoods within its colonial downtown. One of the remaining colonial era buildings, this Museum is located on the “Artists Corner”, so called because this was for many years the home of Brígida and Gertrudris Salas, painters just like their famous father, Antonio.

In 2010, the Municipality of Quito, through its Restoration Fund now known as the Metropolitan Heritage Institute, gave the management of this property to Oswaldo Muñoz, an architect and painter. Muñoz, as President of the foundation that bears his name, converted this picturesque colonial house into a museum that opened five years ago. In this short period it has become an obligatory attraction for tourists in Quito.

Watercolor work

The collection of watercolors and drawings of the artist Muñoz Mariño is in permanent exhibit

Since the day it opened, the Museum’s first goal has been to exhibit Muñoz’s work. The collection of watercolors and drawings, his life’s work of seven decades is, undoubtedly, the Museum’s most valuable art.

In addition, there was a need for the Museum to provide space to exhibit other contemporary artists as well as facilities to develop the drawing and painting skills of aspiring artists. In this context, the Museum’s mission is, “to bring watercolors and drawings closer to young people, adults and the handicapped, while serving as a school of informal techniques in our watercolor workshops.”

During these five years, the Museum has hosted 423 watercolor workshops with 8.505 participants. Of these workshops, 28 have been dedicated to 204 young handicapped persons. It has organized nine national art exhibitions plus one in Japan that drew fifteen thousand visitors. The Museum has had a total of some twenty six thousand visitors, including those who did a virtual tour.

In this fashion, the House of Watercolors is more than just another heritage building, more than just another museum. It has become a creative and dynamic environment that encourages development employing art as a tool. Going back to its roots, this house is once again dedicated to art, only now it’s open to many persons where in the past it was the preserve of a few.

The facilities have proper lighting in order to showcase art works

The Museum is a cozy space with adequate facilities and proper lighting in order to showcase its art works. The galleries for permanent exhibitions are on the ground floor. Management and temporary exhibitions are on the upper floor. It also has a cafeteria, a convenient spot to sit down and spend some relaxed moments in Quito’s colonial downtown.

After being closed for a few months, the Museum will reopen next August. Its mission is still the same and the staff’s enthusiasm is as high as ever. The permanent gallery will continue to exhibit the watercolors and drawings of Maestro Muñoz. These works are an enchanted window, where locals and tourists are able to see, through the artist’s eyes, some of the most marvelous corners of the city.