Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Oranjestad (Aruba). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Numismatic Museum of Aruba, National Archaeological Museum Aruba, and Fort Zoutman. Also, be sure to include Paardenbaai in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Oranjestad.
Table of Contents
Numismatic Museum of Aruba
Museum in Oranjestad, Aruba. The Numismatic Museum of Aruba is a former numismatic museum in the city of Oranjestad in Aruba. It was founded by J. Mario Odor and was opened on 13 November 1981. The collections included coins, paper money, and stamps of Aruba and other countries. The museum is now closed.[1]
National Archaeological Museum Aruba
Museum in Oranjestad, Aruba. The National Archaeological Museum Aruba is an archaeological museum in the city of Oranjestad in Aruba. The collections covers from 2500 BCE to the 19th century.
In 1981, the Archaeological Museum of Aruba was opened. In 2009, the museum had moved to a new location and was reopened as the National Archaeological Museum Aruba.[2]
Address: Schelpstraat, Oranjestad
Fort Zoutman
Museum in Oranjestad, Aruba. Fort Zoutman is a military fortification at Oranjestad, Aruba. Originally built in 1798 by African slaves, with materials provided by the Amerindians, who performed Statute Labour or corvée for the Dutch West India Company, it is the oldest structure on the island of Aruba, and regarded by UNESCO as a 'Place of Memory of the Slave Trade Route in the Latin Caribbean'. The Willem III Tower was added to the west side of the fort in 1868. The fort and tower were restored and re-opened in 1983 as the Historical Museum of Aruba.[3]
Address: Zoutmanstraat 6, Oranjestad
Paardenbaai
Paardenbaai or Port of Oranjestad is the main seaport for passengers in Aruba. It is located in Oranjestad and has existed since 1796.[4]
Hooiberg
Volcanic peak with island and sea views. Hooiberg is a 165 m high volcanic formation on the island of Aruba. It is located almost in the center of the island and can be seen from virtually anywhere on the island.
The Dutch word hooiberg, literally translates into haystack in English, as the landform is said to resemble a stack of hay.
Many have remarked about the panoramic views obtained atop Hooiberg. 662 concrete steps lead to the top of the mountain. On a clear day Venezuela can be seen from the top. The windswept mountaintop is also the site of several radio antennas and cell sites used by Setar, an Aruban telecommunication company.[5]
Historical Museum of Aruba
Museum. The Historical Museum of Aruba is a historical museum in the city of Oranjestad in Aruba. It explains the history of the island and its inhabitants, in rural and urban areas.
The museum is situated in Fort Zoutman, an 18th and 19th-century military fortification.
The museum is administrated by the Fundacion Museo Arubano (Aruban Museum Foundation) since 1992.[6]
Beth Israel Synagogue
Jewish synagogue open to visitors. Beth Israel Synagogue is the synagogue of the Aruban Jewish community, located in Oranjestad, Aruba. Beth Israel Synagogue is an independent congregation with a liberal style similar to Reform Judaism or Conservative Judaism.[7]
Atlantis Submarines Aruba
Tours, Outdoor activities, Water park
Address: Adventure Center in downtown Oranjestad, Oranjestad
National Library of Aruba
Also known as: Nationale Bibliotheek van Aruba
Public library in Oranjestad, Aruba. The National Library of Aruba is the main library of Aruba. It is located in Oranjestad and holds more than 100,000 volumes.
BNA serves as both the national and the public library of Aruba. It was founded on August 20, 1949 as the island's public library and reading room. After Aruba gained its status aparte in 1986 the Aruba Public Library (Papiamento: Biblioteca Publico Aruba) officially became the National Library of Aruba.
BNA has a public library branch in San Nicolas, and a separate building, Arubiana-Caribiana, housing the National and special collections, located in Oranjestad, near the main branch.[8]
Address: 13-Mar George Madurostraat, Oranjestad
Tierra del Sol Salina
Tierra del Sol Salina is a 1 ha natural saliña, surrounded by desert scrub vegetation, lying within the golf-course of the Tierra del Sol Resort, Spa & Country Club at the north-western end of Curaçao, a constituent island nation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Dutch Caribbean. It periodically contains water, and has a natural flow to the sea. It has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International as a breeding site for great and snowy egrets, American coots and white-cheeked pintails when it contains water, as well as serving as a roost site for roseate and Sandwich terns, and black skimmers. It is also used during the spring and autumn migration seasons by waders while the surrounding vegetation supports neotropical passerines, especially warblers. Bare-eyed pigeons are resident.[9]
Xavier University School of Medicine
Medical school. Xavier University School of Medicine is a private not-for-profit offshore medical school located in Oranjestad, Aruba.[10]