The museum was founded on March 21, 2014.
Ubicado en el corazón del desierto de la Tatacoa, nuestro museo ofrece una experiencia única para estudiantes. Explora fósiles, y maravíllate con nuestras exposiciones interactivas y participa en actividades educativas diseñadas para inspirar y educar.
Cuando visites el museo podrás encontrar restos fósiles de fauna y flora de la era cenozoica, épocas mioceno medio y pleistoceno, entre otras, que han sido hallados en diferentes zonas del municipio de Villavieja, especialmente en el Desierto de La Tatacoa. El museo cuenta con una colección de diferentes especímenes entre los que se identifican restos de mamíferos, reptiles, peces, aves, icnofósiles, hojas y madera petrificada; la exhibición cuenta con diferentes experiencias interactivas que recrean ambientes, historias y muestran algunas de las piezas fósiles más importantes de la colección, el museo cuenta con un laboratorio de investigación paleontológica, que es uno de los 2 que tiene Colombia, donde los visitantes podrán observar el proceso de preparación y estudio de un fósil.
El Museo de Historia Natural de la Tatacoa busca concientizar y educar a los visitantes sobre el cuidado y la protección de todos los recursos naturales y geológicos del Desierto de la Tatacoa es un referente paleontológico para la ciencia a nivel mundial, por sus características únicas y por su registro fósil que permite a los investigadores conocer detalles de los ecosistemas del pasado y la memoria ancestral y cultural de nuestra región.
The group of Paleontological Heritage Watchers (Vigías del Patrimonio Paleontológico) had its beginning in 2009 when some young people from the village of La Victoria, located north of the municipality of Villavieja, found a series of fossil remains and raised questions about their origin. Since then, a series of activities have been developed for the protection and conservation of this heritage, which has given worldwide recognition to the Tatacoa Desert.
With great effort, the vigías have managed to collect a large number of fossil pieces over the years, which are part of the La Tatacoa Paleontological Heritage Watchers’ collection, that houses more than 1,700 fossil pieces of different specimens, including some mammals, reptiles, fishes, birds and petrified wood that have been found in areas near the town center of La Victoria.
Over time, the group of paleontological watchers was consolidated. Always in search of the protection of this heritage, the Fundación Vigías del Patrimonio Paleontológico la Tatacoa was created. This organization is currently in charge of the collection and pursues a series of research activities and preparation of fossil pieces. Some of these fossils are being studied by researchers from different national and international institutions that have supported the foundation to achieve compliance with all the standards established for the conservation and protection of the paleontological heritage of Colombia. In this way, the Fundación can provide to the new generations the knowledge and education about how species have evolved on our planet for millions of years.
The Museum of Natural History La Tatacoa is a space created by the vigías for the protection and dissemination of historical, natural and paleontological heritage of Huila, especially the northern area of the municipality of Villavieja, and aims to preserve the fossil remains of prehistoric animals that inhabited the area millions of years ago.
The museum seeks to make visitors aware of the care that should be taken with the natural resources of the Tatacoa Desert area, as well as to preserve the ancestral and cultural memory of our region.
Mission
The Natural History Museum La Tatacoa strives to develop activities aimed at the protection and conservation of the historical, natural and paleontological heritage of the municipality of Villavieja, as well as to promote interest in scientific research by universities and institutions related to paleontology.
Vision
La Tatacoa Natural History Museum is projected as one of the most important museums for research and protection of the historical, cultural, natural and geological heritage of Colombia.
From the field of learning and dissemination, we seek to be a welcoming and interactive place, capable of providing a cultural and scientific offer for the entire community, with a didactic and educational museography.
Objectives
-Promote the insertion of the museum in the community and strengthen the role of teachers in schools with programs aimed at encouraging scientific research among students.
-Strengthen the conservation of the historical, cultural, natural and geological heritage of the Tatacoa Desert.
-Incorporate didactic exhibits with easy-to-understand content for all types of audiences, with a view to the education and appropriation of science.
Our team
The museum has a work team for the development of its activities and objectives. These people play a very important role in the conservation of the collections and research participation with scientists who are studying the fossils of the museum. We also have some people who are in charge of the design, maintenance and creation of new spaces for other exhibitions. Other people who play a very important role within the museum are the mediators who accompany visitors during the guided tours of the exhibition.
Currently, the museum's work team is composed of the director, mediators, paleortist, logistic operators, sales operators and general service support personnel. In addition, we have the support of other vigías, various museums, universities and a team of Colombian scientists working on the research of the collection.
Andrés Felipe Vanegas
Rubén Darío Vanegas
Diego Armando Urueña
Director of the Museum of Natural History La Tatacoa
Museum mediator and paleoartist
Preparer and logistic operator
Julieth Gonzales Cortes
Mediator and general services support
Marleny Gonzales Cortes
Mediator and sales operator
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