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The Museo Curaçao is set in a nineteenth century countryside house, Kas di Pal'i Maishi (Sorghum Stalk House) and is located in the rural western side of Curacao. The Kas di Pal'i Maishi of Museo Curaçao dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. It is the prototype of the simplest form of house construction during the seventeenth, eighteenth and early twentieth century, by descendants of slaves in the surroundings of plantation houses in Curaçao.

The interior of the museum is decorated with furniture of that period, exhibiting the lifestyle of the people living in the countryside. Visiting Museo Curaçao will take you back in time, where you can learn about the customs and artifacts used in those days.

The Kas di Pal'i Maishi, also called the Kas di Yerba (House of Thatch) or Kunuku (Rural) House, represents the indigenous Curaçao dwelling that dotted the countryside in bygone years. The slave dwelling by origin, the Kas di Yerba was built of locally available materials and according to locally developed building techniques. The rectangular plan of more or less 40 square meters and the symmetrical set-up with an entrance in the middle, originates from the West African region, the place of origin of the slave population brought to Curaçao.

The walls are tapered and constructed of wattle and daub filled with stone particles, or simply a rubble stone pile construction, with a clay plaster finishing on both sides. The floor was sealed with a mixture of clay and cow dung to acquire a firm and durable surface. The hipped roof was covered with palu di maishi (sorghum leaves), resting on rafters and purloins for which tree branches were used. The materials used were highly effective as protection for the hot sun.

The interior space of the Kas di Yerba consisted of a bedroom and a family room, which also served as the children's bedroom. The parents slept in their sleeping quarter on a reed mat or a cot. The decoration was very simple and consisted of a few chairs matted with reed strips, a little table, a mirror and a hat-and-coat stand. Oil lamps provided lighting. The walls were decorated with pictures of roman-catholic saints.

The toilet and quite often also the kitchen were build separate from the house and were quite often made of wood. The kitchen of Museo Curaçao is equipped with traditional utensils used for cooking and managing the household. Most of the times, there was also an oven outside used to bake bread and other traditional dishes.

Food was eaten out of dried calabash and coconut halves. A small quantity of sorghum and other types of vegetables were grown for home consumption and to feed the animals. The sorghum was crushed to meal by pounding it in a wooden mortar (pilon). Water was stored outside the house in a large jar. Drinking water was scooped with calabash or coconut halves attached to a wooden handle, poured into small jars (poron’s) and taken inside.

The houses were often surrounded by a fence of cactus plants (kura di datu). This cactus fence marked the private yard and kept out roving goats and other animals.

Very few Kas di Yerba’s are still standing in Curaçao. Its model however, has been reproduced in the more urbanized districts of the island built of wood and brick walls, tiles and corrugated iron roofs. The Kas di Yerba’s are considered monuments of Curaçao’s culture.

The Museo Curaçao's Kas di Pal'i Maishi was restored and brought to its original form by the Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao. The museum represents former Curaçao customs and lifestyle.

Museo Curacao - Kas di Pal'i Maishi

Dokterstuin 27 - Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles

Phone/Fax: (599-9) 864-2497 - E-mail: museacur@hotmail.com

Open Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 09:00 - 16:00 hrs. ● Saturday - Sunday, 09:00 - 17:00 hrs.

Admission Price: Adults, NAf. 3.50 (US$ 2.00) - Children, NAf. 1.50 (US$ 0.80)

Tours are given on request at no additional charge.

There is a small souvenir shop selling locally made handicrafts and a restaurant serving local food on the museum premises.