Mindalae Musuem, Quito

Mindalae Museum: Bridging Art, Ancestral Knowledge & Indigenous Communities

We recently visited the Mindalae Museum in Quito (twice in two weeks!), where the director, Isidero Martinez warmly welcomed us and listened with interest to our proposal to display artwork from local indigenous communities. Isidero's mother, Catalina Sosa, 2007, launched the Museo Etnohistórico de Artesanías del Ecuador Mindalae with the support of the Belgian Embassy’s Cooperation Agency (CTB), and helped grow it in 2012 alongside the European Union. As we toured, Isidero shared how deeply the museum works with indigenous artisans—selling their crafts, preserving ancestral techniques, and giving them a platform to share their stories. The name itself, "Mindalae" references to pre-Columbian indigenous traders in the northern Andean region of Ecuador who exchanged goods such as food, medicinal products, and handicrafts. As connectors they served as vital cultural and economic sources, sharing news and facilitating cultural exchange between communities. I could not imagine a better name for this musuem. If you find yourself in Quito, Mindalae is a wonderful place to deepen your understanding of the communities that have shaped Ecuador and to immerse yourself in its rich culture and traditional crafts.

The Architecture & Symbolism

Boldly standing out from the street, the exterior of the Mindalae Museum contrasts with the surrounding cafés (and just around the corner, El Maple offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options). Its distinctive solar-powered spiral design is inspired by the cosmogony of Ecuador’s ancestral peoples, symbolizing the eternal flow of time and space. The architecture itself reflects their cosmologies, evoking terraced mountains and other essential natural and cultural symbols.

A central “eye of light” in the roof guides sunlight into a ceremonial hall; twice a year (during the equinoxes in March and September) the sun illuminates the building. 

Walking up the Spiral Staircase 

As we slowly took in the permanent galleries with handicrafts & exhibits from indigenous communities across Ecuador (Amazon, Andes, Coast) our eyes were amazed to take in every corner and space. Meticulously decorated walls caught our attention and forced our feet and eyes to stop and take in every word and detail. The decorated pieces  deeply tied to tradition, myth, environment, and identity. 

The ancestral symbolism and iconography are preserved and explained: 2,500 symbolic representations from 14 cultural regions of Ecuador have been organized in a research project. These symbols appear in textiles, ceramics, and various crafts. 

Supporting Indigenous Artisans

As soon as you enter the glass doors of the museum you enter into the fair trade store: visitors can purchase crafts directly from indigenous and campesino communities. 

Also, Mindalae provides the space for artisans innovate, improve quality, access new markets (local & international), and maintain ancestral techniques.

Why It Matters

Mindalae isn’t just preserving relics—they foster living cultures. Artisanal work is presented not as static artifacts but as evolving practices. Their connection roots deep into the past, present, and future. Ethically sourced, with fair payment to artisans. I purchased a few Christmas ornaments inspired by local folk stories—each featuring traditional attire. Though both came from Kiwacha communities, they were sourced from two different regions, highlighting unique cultural and dress variations. It provides economic opportunity to artisans, especially from vulnerable populations, helping them sustain their livelihoods in a way that respects tradition.