The Museum of Art of Matanzas (MAM) Lorenzo Padilla Díaz, a cultural gem that housed nearly 2,000 pieces of art, has seen part of its structure collapse after more than a year of warnings about its critical condition.
Among the pieces held by this iconic museum is a valuable collection of African art —the most important in Cuba— and engravings by the Dutch master Rembrandt.
However, negligence and bureaucracy have led this institution, located in a nineteenth-century building, to face one of the greatest crises in its history.
A predicted collapse at the museum
About a month ago, part of the museum's roof silently collapsed. The collapse occurred after warnings were issued since late 2023 about the possibility of an imminent collapse due to the severe deterioration of the structure.
Jenny Páez Morales, a specialist in museology, explained that a recovery strategy had been outlined since the end of last year, but delays in budget allocation and the lack of critical materials prevented any effective intervention.
The collapse has forced the museum to close its doors, relocating the offices of the Registry of Cultural Assets to the exhibition halls, further limiting the available space for the valuable pieces it houses.
The newspaper Girón noted that bureaucratic delays were one of the main factors that contributed to the roof's collapse. On social media, comments about this case of institutional neglect quickly emerged. "Everything is being destroyed and no one cares," said a user on Facebook.
However, the article from Periódico Girón that reports the case appears this Monday with a broken link, which leads to no website, so it may have been removed from the official platform.
Lack of control and waste in the museum restoration process
The wood necessary to support the building was acquired in San Miguel de los Baños; the lack of fuel and logistical difficulties delayed its transfer to Matanzas.
When the pillars arrived, they turned out to be too short for the height of the building, which caused further delays. After months of waiting, the structure could no longer withstand it and part of the roof collapsed.
Bielka Cantillo González, provincial director of Heritage, also attributed the collapse to a termite infestation that weakened the building's structure, accelerating its deterioration.
The allocated budget was not enough to demolish and reconstruct simultaneously. Hopes for a quick solution disappeared due to the lack of steel, cement, and other essential materials.
The museum has been reassigned to a new location on Calle Medio, a building that also requires significant repairs before it can house the vast art collection.
Authorities have begun to clean up and remove the debris, but it is estimated that the repairs will take years due to a shortage of resources.
This is not an isolated case. In early 2024, authorities acknowledged that at least 64 museums in Cuba remain closed and another 61 monuments are at risk due to a lack of equipment, materials, and funds for their restoration.
The preservation of cultural heritage does not seem to be a priority in the country, despite the tireless efforts of those fighting to keep it afloat.
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