Octagon Museum

About

Octagon Museum is a small but historically important museum located inside the grounds of the famous Avila Beach Hotel in Pietermaai. The museum is dedicated to the connection between Curaçao and South American liberator Simón Bolívar, who stayed on the island in 1812 after a failed revolution attempt in Venezuela. The museum is housed inside a unique octagonal colonial building by the sea and features historical exhibits, documents, photographs, and artifacts connected to Bolívar and Curaçao’s role in Caribbean and South American history. Despite its small size, it’s one of the island’s most unique hidden historical landmarks.Today the “Octagon” serves as a small museum in memory of Curaçao's connection to Simón Bolívar. It is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 12 pm, and by appointment. The romantic setting combined with the historic ambiance makes the Octagon the perfect location for elegant wedding receptions, special meetings, small concerts, and poetry readings.

How to Get There

Octagon Museum is located on Penstraat in the Pietermaai district of Willemstad, inside the Avila Beach Hotel property.

Tips

• * Opening hours can be limited, so checking ahead is recommended
• * Great stop for history lovers and Bolívar enthusiasts
• * Combine the visit with Pietermaai, Punda, or Avila Beach Club
• * Small museum — most visits take around 20–40 minutes
• * The building itself is one of the highlights and very photogenic
• * Perfect quiet cultural stop away from crowded tourist attractions
• * Sometimes used for cultural events, poetry readings, and private gatherings