The Sacred Museum of the Church of La Concepciónon La Orotava, has created an innovative educational plan to bring society closer to all his legacy, a true treasure of religious art. This space, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, comes out of its comfort zone and proposes groundbreaking proposals to capture the attention and interest of the students of the Orotava Valley: from recreations of paintings with clothing and accessories for children’s students to the transformation of Sacred Art Museum in a escape room for Secondary School students, who will have to complete an investigation in a certain time in order to pass a test that will bring them closer to the history and heritage of the islands.
The educator and cultural mediator of the Museum of Sacred Art of La Orotava, Natalia Alvarez, explains that they will work with activities adapted to different ages, which will be constantly reviewed and updated. Infant and Primary students will be able to discover the attractions of this museum in a playful and fun way, through search activities and recreations of works of art. For Secondary school students has been designed The riddles of the treasurea escape room with tests of different levels that will require the skill of the participants and the capacity for observation and teamwork.
For Baccalaureate students the project is reserved 360º treasures«an activity more focused on the scientific field, which will allow the student to put himself in the shoes of any researcher through the temple historical archive.
This educational offer is also available to teachers and citizens, although initially they want to work through the different neighborhood associations. For the mayor of Museums, Delia Escobar (CC), this project will make it possible to publicize even more «the 500 years of history that are preserved in the system rooms of the Museum of Sacred Art, a living space that makes a great effort in dissemination and education». Mayor, Francisco Linares (C.C.), valued the importance tourism, heritage and education of this museum, “which now offers authentic didactic units of Canarian content that do not appear in textbooks».
Free for Valley centers
This educational initiative of the Sacred Museum of the Church of La Concepción has the financial backing of the City Council of La Orotava, which allows educational activities to be free for all the schools and institutes of the municipality and also of the other two towns of the Valley of La Orotava: Puerto de la Cruz and Los Realejos. Students of all educational levels from centers in the region, from Infant to Baccalaureate, will be able to benefit from these educational visits. They will only have to bear the cost of transport to the church of La Concepción, in the historic center of La Orotava. The mayor of Villero, Francisco Linares (CC), stressed that this regional offer advocates making known the values of the Villa beyond the municipal limits: “We are not navel-gazers, that is why we are expanding this proposal to the entire Valley.”
Throughout this year, with the collaboration of artisans from the island, the Museum of Sacred Art will organize workshops to deepen both artistic knowledge and creative experience. They will address the making of talc, stewed and gilded flowers, papier-mâché or natural dyes. There will also be academic courses of artistic learning and family activities such as Treasure Mystery: Detective Family.
The Museum of Sacred Art also organizes a total of eight guided tours: Conventual Treasures, Camino Real Treasures, Franciscan Treasures, Holy Week Treasures, Festival Treasures, In the Footsteps of Raphael, Christmas Treasures and Hidden Treasures. And four thematic visits to the collection: the painting in the Treasury; Mary, the beauty of faith; A coffee in the Museum, and The Woman in the Treasure.
Natalia Alvarez highlights that “it is an extensive project, which aims to expand over time and consolidate its different spheres as the work seasons go by, perfecting and expanding, with a constant desire for innovation and improvement that allows continuous improvement” .
