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tips for experiencing the life and culture of this unique island nation  
     
 
 
 
 

 
 
Plaza de la Cultura Santo Domingo

* DR overview * places * Casa de Ponce de Leon * Plaza Espana * Los Tres Ojos * Plaza de la Cultura * Zona Colonial * El Malecon * Mercado Modelo * Santo Domingo * attractions guide *

The Plaza de la Cultura is a large green area of gardens, museums, and other cultural centers in the center of Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. Filled with large size and grandiose trees, beautiful water features, and quiet internal roads, the plaza is the place to visit to get a taste of high culture and history in the DR.

The brainchild of Dominican president Balaguer, the complex consists of El Teatro Nacional (national theater, one of the best in the Spanish language), the Museo de Arte Moderno (museum of modern art), the Museo de Historia y Geografia (museum of history and geography), the Museo de Historia Natural (natural history museum), the Museo del Hombre Dominicano (museum of the Dominican people), and the Biblioteca Nacional (national library).

The Museo de Arte Moderno showcases a surprisingly good collection of recent art, many of it by Dominican painters. Look out for Candido Rido, Frank Almayar, and Spanish exile Vela Zanetti. The Museo del Hombre Dominicano is also worth a visit for its impressive collection of Taino artifacts. The Museo de Historia y Geografia is somewhat uneven in its collection, but history fans will enjoy the section on dictator Rafael Trujillo, including a bullet-ridden car from his assassination.

At night, Plaza de la Cultura is a hotspot, with a theater and nightclub. The marble Teatro Nacional is the place to see symphonies and drama. Young folks flock to the plaza to see such contemporary acts as Rita Indiana y Los Mysterios.

OVERVIEW for your visit to the DR:

introduction *  when to go * things to do * events * getting there * getting around * food * history * attractions * music * cities * hotels

 

 
SIGHTS OF THE DR