Artsy ambiance

At the southern tip of the island lies the city of San Nicolas, where dozens of gargantuan graffiti murals deck businesses and spice up abandoned buildings along its Main Street. The area plays host to the island’s yearly Art Fair in late September, where visitors can witness a variety of street performances and special exhibits, peruse local arts and crafts sold along the street, and watch artists bring the newest of the area’s murals to life. Up-and-coming on the international art scene, this venue’s psychedelic 3-D murals and colorful mosaic-laden benches give it a decidedly bohemian ambiance.

Aruba’s second-largest city, San Nicolas also features a Museum of Industry inside an iconic, art-deco-style former water tower. It details the island’s economic transformation and its evolution from dependence on gold, to aloe, phosphate, oil and now tourism – as well as its leadership in sustainable development. On the top floor, multimedia stories of island life are colorfully recounted by elderly Arubans. Beside the Museum of Industry, there is a new Community Museum located inside the Nicolaas Store, a recently restored monument that was built around 1940. This exhibition will showcase the authentic aspects of the San Nicolas community.