Duamn Ruca Museum

Located in the old founding settlement of Sierra Grande, the Duamn Ruca Museum preserves the  elements that tell the history of the city and the iron deposit that gave it life for several decades. The  collections of minerals and objects that belonged to the first communities in the area stand out. 

Sierra Grande and the iron deposit 

The exploitation of iron is part of the traditional landscape of Sierra Grande. The mining journey  began in 1944 until the closure of the deposit in 1992. The Río Negro town had its heyday in the  1970s as the city that housed the largest underground iron mine in South America. However, this  success focused on tons of iron for the Argentine steel industry. It was as vibrant as it was short lived. 

The Duamn Ruca Museum, which means "House of Remembrance" in the Mapuche language, was  inaugurated in 1992. When activity declined and the inhabitants of the undulating plain of Río Negro  began to leave the city, the museum gave way to the safekeeping of objects that identify the town  founded two kilometers northwest of the current center.

The first settlement that was called “Sierra Vieja”, is now converted into a historic walk. The old post office building was built in stone, where today the Duamn Ruca Museum operates, a cultural space  that is incorporated into the region's tourist proposals. In this restored building you can learn about   the history of Sierra Grande and the iron deposit, and browse collections of minerals and rocks, fossil  remains, objects from aboriginal peoples and foundational photos.

Outside, the museum proposes a thematic trail dedicated to the minerals that can be found in the  surroundings, a sector for the exhibition and sale of products made by the Mapuche and Tehuelche  communities.

Although there was a small reactivation of the mines, the mining past of Sierra Grande is preserved  in the tourist interest of the area. The residents who chose to stay in the city began to look for other  livelihoods in this rich landscape. In this way, the tourism company connects the destinations of  Sierra Grande, Sierra Vieja, Playas Doradas and Puerto Lobos, highlighting the natural heritage.

Translator: WARET Jeanne