Ralph Applebaum Associates

Located in the beautiful mountains of La Paz, the Museo Ruta de Plata is a regional interpretive center that adjoins the property of the restaurant Bar El Minero. The museum and restaurant share a shaded courtyard in the heart of the village with bronze sculptures and views of 19th century architecture and surrounding countryside.

RAA was asked to create an experience that educates visitors by revealing the natural, cultural, and economic history of this mining area. After an introductory film, visitors learn about significant locations along the Ruta de Plata, including Real de Santa Ana, El Rosario, and El Triunfo. The lives of three central figures—Manuel de Ocio, Henry S. Brooks and Leonardo Orynski—help to personalize what life was like in this region during this era. Visitors can explore a simulated mine and can even push a plunger to detonate a “dynamite” charge.

A timeline provides a historical overview of global, national, and regional events that shaped the Ruta de Plata region from the 16th century to the early 20th century. Nearby, digital scrapbooks contain photographs and memories from local families with historical ties to the Ruta de Plata. Visitors can become part of this history by sharing their own family’s mining heritage, memories, and photographs.

Goals for the Museum include the enhancement of cultural and scientific knowledge in this specific, local community and growing the tourism profile of this region of Baja California Sur, Mexico.