Actually, San Miguel cannot boast a large number of museums. There are several small private galleries. A real museum, where you can come with a guide, immerse yourself in the history of the city, and see interesting exhibits that reveal the culture of the local population, is the Regional Museum of the East.
The building of the museum was built in 1935. It used to be a factory for the production of yarn and fabrics. In the mid-70s of the last century, the production of textiles ceased, and the former factory areas were empty. Thanks to activists who advocated the creation of a full-fledged museum to preserve the history of San Miguel, the Regional Museum of the East was opened there in 1994.
At first, there were only three rooms for exhibiting some archaeological artifacts, national costumes, and several folk instruments. However, to the delight of museum workers, the number of exhibits grew rapidly. So it was necessary to expand the area, continuing to occupy the workshops of the former textile factory.
In 2001, there was a large earthquake in San Miguel, as a result of which the museum was badly damaged. As the restoration required a large investment, it was decided to organize traveling exhibitions. The employees of the Regional Museum of the East traveled almost the entire country with these exhibitions. As a result, the required amount was raised, and six years later, in 2007, the museum was reopened.
It was a renewed and expanded Museo Regional de Oriente: 5 spacious exhibition halls, two of which are for temporary exhibitions, an extensive cultural program; the museum began to hold lectures, master classes, fairs, and thematic excursions.
Now the museum displays real treasures: archaeological artifacts of the pre-Columbian era. These are arrows and items that were used to make arrowheads, dishes, and ritual figurines. Besides, it is here that you can see a unique collection of bottles from local manufacturers: from the very first to the modern ones. It's interesting how the style and design have changed over time.