Casa Nacional de Moneda begins five-year restoration

The Casa Nacional de Moneda, Bolivia’s most visited museum located in Potosí, is set to begin a five-year restoration project next month. The project is supported by a $513,000 grant.

The Baroque-style complex, which served as a mint during both Spanish colonial rule and after Bolivian independence, is recognized for its historic wooden coin-rolling machinery and extensive collections of numismatic and colonial religious art. Director Daniel Oropeza Alba described the structure as “a jewel of 18th-century industrial architecture” and “the cultural heart of Bolivia.”

The restoration will initially focus on the building’s roofs, as approximately 60% are in critical condition due to a decade of insufficient maintenance. Subsequent work will address the stonework. The 15,000-square-meter complex is managed by the Cultural Foundation of the Central Bank of Bolivia and is situated in the Imperial City of Potosí, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.