Museo y Jardines El Castillo

Museo El Castillo is in El Poblado. It's a medieval Gothic-style building inspired by the castles of France's Loire Valley, built between 1930 and 1941 and surrounded by French-style gardens.

It has 14 rooms with a decorative arts collection: porcelain, crystal, stained glass, tapestries, paintings and sculptures, plus temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. Highlights include the French Salon, the library, the music room and the bedrooms that show what the house was like.

It's also an art school, with workshops and courses for all ages, cultural events and concerts.

There's an entrance fee. The gardens are good for resting or having a picnic.

What to see

• The guided tour of the castle's interior.
• The French-style gardens, with a separate gardens-only ticket.
• Temporary exhibitions and special programming.
• A picnic in the gardens, offered as a museum service.

Getting there

• Metro: Aguacatala station (Line A) (Metro de Medellín).
• Car: there's paid parking (Museo El Castillo).

Tips

• Picnics are allowed in the gardens: it's worth bringing something and staying a while.
• There are guided tours in English at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
• Tour spots are handed out at the ticket office depending on demand and can fill up; on weekends, get there early.
• Photos aren't allowed inside the museum, and pets aren't allowed.
• Bags and strollers go in a locker before the tour.
• Photo shoots with professional cameras in the gardens require a reservation and a fee.