Two Amazing Days Immersed in Cultural and Marine Museums

Hola amigos! Dee here, back with another lovely recap of our students activities this past week. It was a solid semana of sight seeing, as we went all the way from the northeast of the island to right down to the city center where we visited the Es Baluard Museum as well as the city aquarium! It was easy to see the impact of the new experiences on the students, as many times I witnessed looks of awe and contemplation on their faces while viewing the exhibits at both locations. The magic is really happening here!

Our first stop was the Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum, accompanied by our lovely local students- guardian angels Agustin and Antonia!  The museum is located on the perimeter of the bastion of Sant Pere, which forms part of the Renaissance walled enclosure that surrounded the city of Palma until the early 20th century. Since then it has been converted  in different phases since 2004, into the largest space for the conservation and dissemination of contemporary art in the Balearic Islands. The contrast of modern art with the historic walls of the museum provided a unique backdrop for interpretation of the exhibits by the students.

The theme of the exhibitions was politically charged- with galleries focusing on cuban freedom and the suppression and expression of art through mail, 'Flowers for Franco' reflections on the opposing viewpoints regarding preserving or destroying Franco history, and even showcased art about Black Lives Matter. It was a intriguing blend of Spaniard cultural history and modern day cultural issues.

It was very effective to combine the two themes, as it really allowed the students to connect with the content. After the museum we unpacked what we learned and saw with ice cream, and the students demonstrated what they took away from the exhibits by designing their very own version of mailer art. It was outstanding to see the hidden artists shine, and to hear the profound conclusions and insights gained from the museum. 

The fun didn't stop there though! We then took our students to a different type of museum- an aquarium! The Palma Aquarium has been open since 2007, and offers the unique opportunity to view marine flora and fauna that would not be possible to witness in nature naturally. The aquarium is a huge advocate for marine conservation and education. It was apparent from the moment you walked in the entrance that you would be educated as well as entertained!

There were many fascinating exhibits that featured various habitats and ecosystems from around the world. This was a fantastic compliment to the Marine Biology fieldwork and classes that the students have been engaging in throughout the program. It was thrilling to see the proverbial "lightbulbs" going off in their heads as students connected the academic material to the real life exotic creatures swimming about in their tanks!

It was a busy week overall filled with learning and exploring. We are so looking forward to our upcoming adventures! Check back here soon for more, thank you for reading!