The museum is situated about 7km south of downtown, it caters to kids of all ages, from a peaceful infant/nursing area to adolescent-level displays on Maya history. Another interesting area is the Human Body exhibit, where children can understand the hows and whys of farting, vomiting, sneezing and body odor, crawlingh through the digestive tract that begins at the mouth and ends with a slide through an oversized rectum.

The other exhibitions in the museum include:

• Nursery: A playground for babies, where they can interact with all members of your family. These games will help develop all the senses as the baby interacts with the family members.
• The City: Here children can play and become real engineers and help develop a city. They can also become bankers, radio or television producer.
• The Human Body:Imagine entering a giant nose, causing tickling to the point that you sneeze. Impossible? NO, thank Chiminike. Here in this room, will not only know the sense of smell, but to know everything about our bodies. DNA, and varies in each of us as our features and even defines our personality, respondiéndonos to the question of why we like our parents, uncles or grandparents.
• Honduras and its People: The purpose of this exhibition is to understand the different forms of expression in the ancient civilizations focusing on Mayan Culture. Children learn about archeology, the history of the country and the main archaeological sites of the Mayan world, its culture, language and traditions.
• We travel to Space: Children have the opportunity to learn about space travel and see a real moon rock.
• Environment: Water: source of life. The environment exhibition explains and teaches children about the benefits of water.
• The House of Balance: Imagine walking into a house where everything is tilted, but surprisingly things are going up instead of down. In this exhibition children learn about gravity and fisics.
• External exhibitions: an outside playground where children can climb molecules, DNA and eat a snack in the museum’s wagon.
• Molecular Structure:
• The wagon and locomotive:
• DNA Structure.
• Energy: The purpose of this exhibition is to teach children everything related to energy production and energy saving. The activities in this room, include the Bed of Nails, Vander Graaph and many more.

By watching the video below you can have a better idea of the exhibitions in the museum.

Mario Castillo

Mario Castillo is considered by critics as being the best portrait artist in Honduras. He has continuously and actively participated in many expositions in Honduras and other countries. He is a permanent expositor at the Foundation for the Museum of the Honduran Culture. Among his well deserved awards are the Honorary Mention in the First Annual Gallery for Painting; diploma granted in the First Painting Contest by the National Autonomous University of Honduras; the Great Prize of the IV Annual Gallery for Painting in Tegucigalpa; and the San Vito Romero Medal granted in Italy. In 1995 he received the José Miguel Gómez Golden Crown granted by the foundation for the Museum of the Honduran Culture. On May 1996 he was chosen by Trio’s Gallery to participate at the Biennial Exposition of Central American Galleries in Guatemala.

He arrived in Europe in the ’60s, after graduating from the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes in Honduras. In Spain, Barcelona he established his workplace and hub, from where he could travel to the neighboring countries, mainly France.

Visquerra’s mission in Europe was not to study more art, but to identify and be identified with the Renaissance realism, Baroque and Surrealism. He visited local museums, galleries and artist workshops regularly to achieve his goal.

On his return in 1988, his painting was already final, codified in theme and style “through the creation of images such as fruit or Mediterranean barroque flowers …” according to the historian Leticia Oyuela.

Julio Visquerra - Carnaval de Ceiba

In 1971, three years after his arrival in Spain, his work seemed to express his true inspirations and ideas, as stated in the book Honduras: overview of his painting.

That year, his work took a major turn away from figuration, enough to provide an abstract painting, endowed with mysterious and delicate colors, a concept he followed until 1974.

After showing an inclination to the neofigurative branch at the end of the 70′s, he began creating works of art with a surrealism style, which is the artistic line he is currently focused in.

Painting by Gregorio Sabillon "Maternidad"

The Museum of anthropology and history in Comayagua, is the only museum in Honduras that has information about the history of the Lencas. Comayagua was the capital of Honduras from 1824 until 1880, when the capital was moved to Tegucigalpa, current capital of the country.

When you see the video the first images inside the house, are of fossilized bones of sloths and jaguars that lived in the region. Also, you will be able to see some petrified sea shells, which leads to believe that a long time ago the main land was covered by the ocean.

Lenca Prehistoric Art of Honduras– Arte Rupestre

The first carved stone was found near the Yohoa Lake in the center of Honduras, it has the image of a feathered serpent, which symbolized the fertility of the land and abundance of water.

Behind the carved stone we can see a replica of caves found in La Paz, which are around 14,000 years old, making it the oldest cave in America that contains pictographic drawings. The Lencas were nomads, so this is why the archeologist have found paintings and sculptures all over the country. The paintings were used to teach children the importance of the ceremonies, in one of the paintings it is possible to observe that the whole tribe, several snakes and the shaman are painted on the stone. Also at the bottom right hand corner, we can see a painting of a ball, which leads the archeologists to believe that the Lencas invented the ball game that the Mayans are famous for. The Mayans came to this region 400 year later than the Lencas.

The main archeological finding of the Lencas is known as Chircal or Miravalle Village. On the video you can observe a model with one pyramid and several houses of the village, the Lencas had to leave their village because a volcanic eruption in El Salvador.

Lenca Cermics and Colored Pottery

First, we can see several small carved stones used to make tattoos and several small statues. Then it is possible to observe different types of pottery with drawings. The pottery usually uses three colors: black, brown and white. Also, the Lencas made collars and earrings of jade and other types of stone.

In the final room, which used to be part of the president’s main office, we can see several oil paintings. In the room we can see that now different types of clothing used by the Lencas are being displayed. If you continue to see the video, there will be no more objects used or made by Lencas. All of the other rooms contain objects of the time that the museum was the presidential house when Comayagua was the capital of Honduras.

By Kirsten Hubbard

Anafre is the name of the clay pot where usually hot coal is placed to heat up the plate placed on its top. As you can see it has several holes to let some oxygen in and keep the coal lit. Usually the top plate is also made of clay and what it contains is one of the most delicious appetizers in Honduras.

Usually the anafres contain fried red or black beans with cheese fondue on top. Also other ingredients that might be added are peppers and chorizo. In order to eat this delicious dip, tortilla chips accompany the appetizer.

If you want to make this you don’t actually need the clay pot, but usually it is nice to have one for decorative purposes. So if you are wondering how to make this wonderful appetizer, below you can find the ingredients and instructions:

Ingredients:
Red or black beans
Oil
Garlic
Salt
Mozzarella or any type of cheese that melts.
Tortilla chips

Optional ingredients:
Jalapeño peppers
Chorizo

Sometimes you can by the beans already fried and smashed up, but if you want to do it with raw beans you can do it as well. In order to speed up the cooking of the beans you should leave them over night in a bowl filled with water so that they become hydrated and softer. You should place the raw beans on a pressure cooker or pot with salt, some garlic and cook until they are soft.

When they are ready, take them out of the water and smash them in a mortar or place them in the blender. When you have the paste you can get a frying pan place some oil and fry the beans when the oil is hot. When the beans are crispy you can place them on the anafre’s plate or any other container you can use. If you do not have the clay anafre pot to place the coal, don’t worry, you can do this on the stove or in a barbecue.

On the plate that has the beans place the cheese on top and jalapeño peppers if you want. If you want to place chorizo I recommend you cook it before to remove some part of the fat and add to the plate after they are done. Make sure that the fire is not to high so that the beans do not burn.

When the cheese has melted you can start eating everything with the tortilla chips which you can also make or buy ready.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and let me know if you would like me to publish more recipes or information about other subjects, Honduras related.

Here is how you can make your first batch of “pastelitos de perro”. You will need the following ingredients:

• 1 Cup of corn flour
• 1/2 cup of rice
• 1/4 lbs of ground meat
• 5 potatoes
• Azafran
• Oil
• Chopped Cabbage
• Cheese
• Tomato Sauce

First you will need to prepare the corn flour, which only needs some warm water to prepare. You should mix some water with the flour and azafran until you have the dough ready. The azafran will give the dough a nice red color. Make some small balls of dough and then smash them so that you have a tortilla shape.

The filling consists of cooked potatoes in pieces of 3/8 inches, cooked rice and cooked ground meat.

When you have the entire ingredients ready, place the filling in the middle of the tortillas and fold the dough so that you have a half moon shape “pastelito de perro”. Place some oil on the frying pan and when it is very hot, very careful slide all of the pastelitos in the pan so that the oil won’t splash. When the dough has turned golden brown it means that they are ready.

Then, you can prepare the tomato sauce to your liking; add salt pepper and some oregano if you like. Then, chop the cabbage and add some salt and a little bit of vinegar.

Place the cooked “pastelitos de perro” on a plate and place the cabbage salad on top, add the tomato sauce and shredded cheese.

I hope you like this recipe, if you would like to leave your comments or tips for preparing the meat empanadas, please leave us your thoughts in the comment box.

Sustaining Local Artists and Producers

To support the Garífuna Museum, they have implemented a craft shop and a small art gallery, which sells paintings, on the first floor. They earn a profit of 10 to 20% from each sale, which sustains the museum and the entrance fees. The Museum also helps Garífuna painters and artists, who sell their work in the area, to make a name for themselves. There is an artisan exposition room so that Garífuna handicrafts can be seen, and so that the artisans can sell their products and get money to cover their daily expenses. There is also an expo-sale of paintings that we call the Art Gallery. However, it still does not meet all of the necessary conditions to preserve the paintings. The paintings are exposed to dust and need a more enclosed place so they don’t deteriorate.

The museum directors are planning to create a Garífuna Plaza, where those people who make typical baked foods and pastries can bring their products to the Museum and market them. Before, there wasn’t a place where you could come to sell and buy Garífuna products. We are satisfying these supply and demands. We also have a restaurant service, where you can sample traditional plates and learn about Garífuna gastronomy. With our food sales, they underwrite the project, “Garífuna Plaza”, which makes the project more sustainable because of the sales commissions they earn.

Also, the route provides a wonderful scenery with green hills and mountains. On the trail you have the opportunity to visit the National Park “Celaque”, which means “Box of Water” in the lenca language. Celaque is a rain forest where you will find over 230 plant species, 45 species of mammals, and 269 species of birds. The national park is located 9km from downtown Gracias, in the Celaque Mountain. After arriving to the visitor center, the walk in the park is rather pleasant where you will ascend an extra 1,400 to 2,500 meters, where all the flora and fauna typical from a rain forest can be found.

This is an excelent touristic route where you can find living culture, natural scenery, and colonial architecture. Please visit Colosuca for more information about this wonderful trip.

Below we have gathered a list of places you can visit divided into different categories:

Beaches

1. Roatan
2. Utila
3. Cayos Cochinos
4. Tela
5. La Ceiba
6. Amapala

Tropical Rain Forests and Nature Resorts

1. La Tigra
2. La Muralla
3. Pico Bonito

Ancient Ruins and Culture

1. Copan

With this list you have a wide variety of places to choose from, each offering different activities, such as snorkeling, diving, white water rafting, hiking, relaxing on beatiful beaches, sightseeing, birdwatching, etc.

If you have have visited another place you would like to add to the list please leave your suggestion in our comment box.