This article was made by our partner MUPAPY: Voices of Museums and Cultural Heritage. This week, the text is about the Mythological Museum of Ramón Elías. Click here for the last one about MUCAFOT.
Located on one of the main highways of the country, Ruta 2 – now known as PY02 –, the Mythological Museum of Ramon Elías from the city of Capiatá is a fantasy land turned into a collection of mystical creatures and artifacts. Its owner, Ramon Elías, was a professor, an artist and an antique collector, a prominent and influential figure for the town; he had a history of acquiring different kinds of heirlooms that were significant to paraguayan history.
Built in 1979 in a characteristic colonial style, the Mythological Museum has four main rooms where it displays its different works, sorted out by themes: the Mythological Room, the Sacred Art Gallery, the War Room and finally the Ramon Elias room. The last one shows Elías old bedroom, with its original furniture still in place, since the building where the museum is located was also the family home. The structure also presents a dining room, a kitchen, an office, and a small living room. And of course, it finds itself on a large piece of land that features wild local vegetation, reminiscent to the classic paraguayan properties one can find in the countryside.
Who Is Ramón Elías?
Ramon Elías is mostly known for his sculptures of the seven main figures of the Paraguayan-Guaraní mythology, the children of the cursed couple Taú and Kerana: Teju Jagua, Mbói Tu’I, Moñai, Jasy Jatere, Kurupi, Ao Ao, and Luisón, alongside other indigenous legends like Pombero, Mala Visión, and Plata Yvyguy. These figures are the heart and soul of the museum, and you can meet them all the moment you step into the main lounge of the facility. A large mural of the parents of said creatures greets you, showing you the way and inside, the characters are shown in their native spaces on top of their stages, with banners retelling their story and origin.
Some of the figures that can be seen in the Mythological Room: Ao Ao and Pombero. Source: @mupapy
How Meaningful The Mythological Museum Is
Óscar Elías – current director of the Mythological Museum, and son of its founder – says is the most popular spot for both foreigners and locals; myths and legends are often the main topic when discussing a country’s culture, and Paraguay is not an exception. Although, the War Room also attracts a lot of people, curious about the collection of rifles, sabers, and munitions that it holds.
MUPA: Voices of Museums and Heritages is currently developing a new podcast with the Capiatá Museum, discussing its rich story, large collections and its four main galleries, while getting to know Ramon Elías through the eyes of his son. The podcast also plans to immerse itself into the past, present and future of the city, and discuss the origin of the main seven myths that highlight the Mythological Museum with professor David Galeano, current head of the Guaraní Language and Culture Athenaeum, a philanthropic institution that focuses on the recovery, valuation, and dissemination of Guaraní culture.
“Mythological Capiata: The Monsters of Ramón Elías” a podcast by @mupapy.
The podcast about the Mythological Museum will be available to listen to, in Spanish, in MUPA’s Spotify profile at the end of the month. If you are interested in getting to know more about the local culture, myths, and legends, we recommend you give it a listen once is out. In the meantime, you can listen to a previous one about the Bogarín Museum.
The Mythological Museum of Ramón Elías is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 9:00AM to 12:00PM and then from 3:00PM to 5:00PM. On Sundays and national holydays, you can only visit it during the morning hours. They also do guided tours to interested parties. You can contact Elsa Elías at +595 983 152428 for more information on the matter or reach them via Instagram.
Mythological Museum Opening Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9 AM to 12 PM – 3 PM to 5 PM
Wednesday: 9 AM to 12 PM – 3 PM to 5 PM
Thursday: 9 AM to 12 PM – 3 PM to 5 PM
Friday: 9 AM to 12 PM – 3 PM to 5 PM
Saturday: 9 AM to 12 PM – 3 PM to 5 PM
Sunday: 9 AM to 12 PM – 3 PM to 5 PM
