Gran Tierra Energy in partnership with Corpoamazonia and the Colombia Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) built and opened, in November 2021, a museum in Putumayo that will serve local communities as a permanent archaeological exhibition.
The Suruma museum is located in the Amazon Experimental Centre (CEA) located near Mocoa, Putumayo and is an educational space to preserve historical artifacts and tell the story of the history and culture of the Putumayo department. There are 15 permanent museum exhibits, distributed in two structures and a central area showcasing the reconstruction of an archaeological excavation area. The museum contributes to the social growth of these territories and their communities by allowing visitors to explore and celebrate the cultural diversity of Putumayo and the Colombian Amazon.
All of the artifacts housed in the Suruma Museum were discovered by Gran Tierra Energy through our archaeological activities in Putumayo. These specific archaeological activities took more than four months of work and during this period of time, 25 archaeologists and 160 local field helpers excavated more than 3,300 square metres.
To date, more than 20 tons of archaeological materials have been recovered and the inventory of the recorded archaeological material is composed of ceramic fragments, lithic artifacts (two carved projectile points), complete pottery pieces, archeological features (coal and fire pits) and a goldsmith’s piece.
In 2024, more than 11,000 people visited the Suruma Museum during its fourth year open. This is the first archaeological museum in Colombia’s Amazon region.
From the beginning, Suruma was designed to also work as a travelling museum that could share its exhibits, culture, and traditions with other communities. In 2024, it was featured at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties (COP 16), with support from Colombia’s Ministry of Culture. To help share the museums story more widely, the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) created a replica with seven different displays. This replica was also shown at the Jorge Garcés Borrero Departmental Library in Cali, where visitors from over 190 countries had the chance to experience it. The exhibit offered a valuable contribution to global conversations about biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.
Last year, the temporary exhibit “People of Putumayo Narrate: Journeys, Exchanges, and Claims” travelled across Colombia, including to the National Museum of Colombia in Bogota and UNESCO-declared World Heritage Site, San Agustín Archaeological Park in the department of Huila.
Image Gallery
Image Gallery
