Museo Casa Blanca, Colonial mansion museum in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Museo Casa Blanca is a white stone mansion in Old San Juan arranged around a central courtyard with multiple rooms on each side. The building connects to gardens that extend toward the northern fortification walls of the city.
The mansion was built in 1521 as a residence for Juan Ponce de León and remained the governor's home until the mid-18th century. This long tenure reflects the importance of the building during Spain's early colonial period in Puerto Rico.
The museum displays furniture, weapons, and everyday objects from the Spanish colonial era. These collections show visitors how people actually lived and furnished their homes during that period in Puerto Rico.
The museum is located on Calle San Sebastián in the old city center and opens Wednesday through Sunday. Wear comfortable shoes, as the cobblestone streets and stone steps around the area require steady footing.
The gardens were maintained by General Brooks, the first American Military governor, who managed the property in the early 1900s. His choices in planting have shaped some of the vegetation that still grows there today.
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