This article was made by our partner MUPAPY: Voices of Museums and Cultural Heritage. This week, the text is about the Hrisuk Museum. Click here for the last one about the Diocesan Museum.
Located in the city of Encarnación, the Private Hrisuk Museum houses one of the most complete collections of art, history, and culture in Paraguay. It has around 25,000 pieces, although not even half of it currently on display. Among its many objects, the impressive chess collection is what seems to stands out the most; boards and pieces of various materials and origins gracing the exhibition. In addition to that, the museum is also widely known for its repertoire of objects belonging to the Dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who was born in Itapúa.
Museum’s Collection
Yes, the Hrisuk Museum owners preserve several pieces that were owned by the former president, such as a sword given by Chilean Dictator Augusto Pinochet, a pen, and miniature replicas of cannons, in reference to Stroessner’s military career. Contrary to what one might think, the exhibition does not ignore the nature of his government. A sign in the museum acknowledges his authoritarian rule with the following text: “Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda led the country as President of the Republic under a de facto government from August 15, 1954 until a military coup d’état overthrew him on February 3, 1989. His authoritarian government of almost thirty-five years was known as stronismo”.
The Hrisuk Museum also showcases artifacts belonging to other Paraguayan presidents, such as Andrés Rodríguez, Nicanor Duarte Frutos and even Fernando Lugo.
To add to the weird but intriguing repertory of the Hrisuk Museum, some of the pieces that you can find within the chess collection were also Stroessner’s. Nonetheless, you can also appreciate other striking chess sets made by fascinating materials such as ivory, ebony, wood, onyx, and glass, mostly dating from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Hrisuk Museum: Collection Related To America’s History
One of the most interesting sets in the Hrisuk Museum is the Commemorative Chess set for the 5th Centenary of the Discovery of the Americas (1492-1992). The figures in this set represent key historical figures: on one side, the King of Castile and Queen Isabella the Catholic, along with Christopher Columbus and Aztec priests as bishops, conquistadors on horseback as knights, and the plains of Castile as rooks.
As is now a common trope in most Paraguayan museums, the bizarre Hrisuk Museum collection also shares space with other thematic exhibits, such as Guaraní Baroque sacred art, the Chaco War, the War of the Triple Alliance, the history of the railroad in Paraguay. It also contains a large repertory of paintings by mainly Paraguayan artists, masonry objects and of course, alongside the chess sets, the memorabilia of various Paraguayan presidents.
The Hrisuk Museum is not only a point of cultural reference but also a pedagogical tool. It is frequently visited by students, historians and tourists interested in learning more about the country’s past through its insane objects that can offer a unique perspective of the past. The Hrisuk family has also shown interest in expanding the collection and improving the visitor experience in a new building.
Hrisuk Museum Opening Hours
You can visit the Hrisuk Museum and its particular exhibition from Tuesdays to Sundays, between 7 AM and 6 PM. Private tour can be arrange by contacting the family via WhatsApp. You can also follow them on Instagram.
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 7 AM to 6 PM
Wednesday: 7 AM to 6 PM
Thursday: 7 AM to 6 PM
Friday: 7 AM to 6 PM
Saturday: 7 AM to 6 PM
Sunday: 7 AM to 6 PM
