Right behind the colonial Sanitarium there’s another building that attracts almost no tourist traffic. It was built in the 1840’s by the colonial government to be the Asilo de Beneficencia or “home of the poor”. Its architecture inspires an austere feeling that’s compounded by its silent atmosphere. Two beautiful interior courtyards add charm and elegance to this immense structure.
Today the Asilo de Beneficencia houses the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and has several exhibit galleries including a collection of pre-European Puerto Rican artifacts that includes pottery, tools, relics and even a recreation of an actual Taíno village.
The building is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, from 9:00 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon. For more information, dial 787–724-0700.
