The National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropología Dr. David J. Guzmán) houses two floors of Mayan and Salvadorian historical artifacts and cultural exhibits from pre-Columbian times. Visit for insights into Mesoamerican death rituals, crafts pieces of the past, and historical tidbits. It's conveniently located in the Zona Rosa area of El Salvador’s capital city, San Salvador.
From historic pieces like John Paul II’s Popemobile to more solemn items, such as dangerous weapons used in the Salvadoran Civil War, the El Zapote Barracks Military Museum is filled with collections that make for a great half-day history lesson on El Salvador’s past. Plus, the museum is housed in old barracks and its entrance is guarded by military soldiers.
An extremely somber place to the people of El Salvador and the world, the El Mozote Monument memorializes the innocent civilians killed during El Salvador’s Civil War. Its tiles display the names of those murdered by the Atlacatl battalion. The silence, even when people are present, reminds you of the sadness and pain of war.
Just west of San Salvador, Santa Tecla was established as the “new San Salvador” in 1854 when it acted briefly as the nation’s capital after an earthquake. Some government offices still sit in the city, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The Plaza Merliot malls, museums, and greenspaces make Santa Tecla a draw today.
Created by the Cerron Grande Dam, Suchitlan Lake is the largest freshwater reserve in El Salvador. This reservoir was formed via the Lempa River; it was completed in 1976 to supply energy and water to nearby towns, as well as protect wetlands teeming with birds and fish. Today, visitors stop to take in panoramic views from the dam’s edge.
The Museum of the Revolution (Museo de la Revolucion Salvadorena) is located in the rural area of Perquín, a four- to five-hour drive from the capital, San Salvador. Past guerilla fighters from the country’s Civil War act as guides for the museum. Visitors come to get a civilian viewpoint on the war and to learn about the artillery and artifacts used.
The Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen, translated to the Museum of the Word and Image, was created in 1993 via a traveling exhibition. This campaign sought to capture the documents, stories, and photographs that told the history of violence and the civil rights violations suffered during years of conflict. MUPI became a full museum in 2003.
Monsenor Romero Center is a museum within the Department of Theology at Central American University in San Salvador. It was founded in 1985. A 1994 renovation and expansion added a memorial room, library, and rose garden. Its mission is to promote peace, justice, and harmony.
Easily reached from both Santa Ana and San Salvador, the Guajoyo River is a major tributary of the Lempa River, which flows into the Pacific south of San Salvador. The tributary itself only runs for 8.5 miles (14 kilometers), and is best known to tourists as the country’s top destination for white-water rafting.
