The Pedagogic Museum

Montevideo's "Jose Pedro Varela" Pedagogic Museum is both a tribute to the man who radically reformed Uruguay's school system from heavily religious to scientifically based, and a historical institution chronicling this shift and it's details.



Uruguay has placed a very large focus on developing math and the sciences. Andre and I were aghast when we saw all the virtually ancient and wonderfully preserved artifacts that they have maintained in the museum.







Other honorable science mentions go to:

Biology






Astronomy



Geography


(Note: I just want to point out how awesomely they've chosen to define an Island )


Anatomy



Being that literature is extremely important to South American culture, and having produced brilliant and famous writers such as Eduardo Galeano and Horacio Quiroga, Uruguay places a heavy focus on its writing programs. Calligraphy and creative writing are encouraged from a very young age.





Also, they believe that an environment that stimulates the body and mind will more likely enhance the learning experience. Even though I know this is a museum and realize other schools don't look anything like the following picture, I must say that if my school or classroom had ever looked anything like what they seem to hope for, I would have been delighted to attend my classes every day.



Perhaps my favorite part of the museum is the area dedicated to depicting the different methods to discipline the unruly children. They seem to prefer embarrassing the child by making them stand outside the classroom while wearing a donkey hat, a big red "tongue", or sometimes even a sign that has the word "Shameless" emblazoned on it. Other times, a good beating will just as easily do the trick.







"A beating is worth more than a sermon".

El Monumento a la Diversidad Sexual

Though commonly referred to as the Monument to Sexual Diversity, the "Space of Sexual Diversity" is a small area in Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja commemorating Uruguay's policy of openness, equality and tolerance of the LGBTQ community. Basically, it's a small park (blink and you'll miss it) with quite a few nice murals which represent different organizations and messages such as: The Black Sheep Collective, the group for Uruguayan leather enthusiasts and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.




"Honoring diversity is Honoring Life. Montevideo for all genders, identities and sexual orientation. 2005."



Uruguay, being one of the more liberal and well educated countries in the Americas, has been known to be one of the big supporters of equality rights for the LGBTQ community. Though most people erroneously believe Argentina to be the first, Uruguay was the first country in Latin America to grant homosexuals the right to civil unions, equal social and economic rights and the first to have national gay rights groups.












Though I'm extremely pleased to report that this space has been very well preserved and maintained by the city and is only lightly vandalized (let's face it, it could be bad), there is one endorsement that holds a very special place in my heart.

Plaza Independencia

Plaza Independencia is the main square in the capital city of Montevideo, serving as a divider between the Ciudad Vieja and the other more cosmopolitan side of Montevideo. 18 de Julio, the main avenue, begins it's course at the plaza's base going then right down the middle of the city. The plaza and avenue are both lined with shopping malls, farmers markets and restaurants. Plaza Independencia holds within its borders large historical sculptures, a trapezoidal looking edifice of sorts, the "Door to the City" which is where you would enter the Ciudad Vieja, and another enormous building for which we were not able to figure out a purpose. I'm only mentioning it because the detail on this mammoth of a building makes it a wonder of South American Architecture.










As you begin to leave Plaza Independencia in the direction of the Ciudad Vieja you are guaranteed to encounter the Teatro Solis; an old playhouse turned movie theater built in 1857, that burned down in the 1960's. Though lightly repaired, the government ordered an intensive renovation in 1998 which did not end until 2004. It is now a theater, opera house and museum at which they still conduct many performances and guided tours on a regular basis. When in Montevideo, this is a must visit.

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