Researching the Past and Educating Future Generations

In today’s installment of our multi-part Get To Know Us Better series, we share with you how Goldcorp helped build the Carlos Gradin Museum of Archaeology in Perito Moreno, Argentina.

In 1964, an archaeologist named Carlos Gradin began excavating sites around Argentina’s Cueva de las Manos (Cave of the Hands) and Pinturas River Valley. What he discovered was of such importance to the country’s natural and cultural heritage that the area was ultimately named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fast-forward to 2012, when Goldcorp partnered with a group called Identidad (“Identity”), whose vision was to build an archaeological museum and research laboratory for the artifacts discovered by Carlos Gradin. The museum would provide a place for the community of Perito Moreno to understand their cultural roots and experience the richness of the region’s history.

Constructing a State-of-the-art Museum and Research Facility

Now in the final stages of construction, The Carlos Gradin Museum of Archaeology contains lithic and archaeological material from the region. Designed and built over several years, the museum has been a collaborative initiative between various authorities, Goldcorp and the municipality. The museum has already received recognition for its architecture and educational design, and has been described as “innovative and one of its kind in the area, and in some cases in the whole of Argentina”.

As the museum becomes fully operational, it will provide a multi-disciplinary space where the sensory and educational worlds meet to create a memorable museum experience.

The laboratory facility is already in operation, and teams from INALP (National Institute of Anthropology and Latin American Studies) are using it to clean, identify and safeguard the archaeological objects discovered during their excavations.

This story is from Goldcorp’s 2014 Sustainability Report. Click here to learn more about how we are committed to creating economic growth and positive impacts for all stakeholders, at every phase of the mining lifecycle, from early exploration, through to the mine’s eventual closure.