Altos De Chavón

The Altos de Chavón Regional Museum of Archaeology documents the Dominican Republic's pre-Columbian heritage. Ritual and everyday objects, arranged by chronology and style, trace the evolution of the island's indigenous cultures.This collection of thousands of artifacts was discovered on the banks of the Chavón River in the region where the museum is now located, and many are from the collection of Samuel Pion, an amateur archaeologist and collector of artifacts from the vanished Taíno tribes.

The performing arts are showcased in Altos de Chavón's 5,000-seat open-air amphitheater. Since its inauguration in 1982 by Frank Sinatra and Carlos Santana, the amphitheater has hosted concerts, theatrical events and festivals including the annual Heineken Jazz Festival.

At the Altos de Chavón craft workshops trained local artisans create ceramic, silk-screen, and woven-fiber products. The center has an "Artists in Residence" program that allows artists to live and work on site.

The Church of St Stanislaus at the center of the Altos de Chavón was named after the patron saint of Poland in tribute to Pope John Paul II, who visited the island in 1979 and left some of the saint's ashes behind.

The work of well-known and emerging Dominican and international artists is showcased at the galleries at Altos de Chavón in three distinct spaces: the Principal Gallery; the Rincón Gallery; and the Loggia. Exhibits change about once a month.