Towards a Global Network of Water Museums A Common Heritage for a Sustainable Future Palazzo Zorzi, Venice, Italy. 2-4 May 2017

1. WATER
MUSEUMS
Global Network
International Workshop, Venice 2 – 4 May 2017
In cooperation with Endorsed by

2. Yaku Museum and Water Park – Coordinator
Quito - Ecuador
Andrés Palma

3. Andrés Palma

4. 4
Table of Contents
Part 1
Museum Description
Part 2
Water and MDGs
Part 3
Global Network: your expectations

5. • Yaku Museum and Water Park was
founded in December 6th 2005
• It is an Interactive museum which
main exhibited collections are:
• Museo de sitio (First City
drinking water plant from
1913)
• Planeta Agua
(Planet Water, main exhibit)
• Mediagua, the ecological
house
Open air sections
• Access Square
• Water Fountains
• Achachay (for toddlers)
• Pumamaki Ecologic Trail
• Biota Máxima exhibit
Yaku Water Museum: description (1)
1.1 Year of foundation, main collections exhibited, open air sections (if
existing), n. visitors/year, funding sources

6. - Eventualy, Yaku rents spaces for
social and business events
- It is one of the best funded
museums in Quito and Ecuador
- It is one of the top museums in
Quito in terms of income from
entrance tickets:
 3 USD for adults
 2 USD for students
 1 USD for children under 3
Yaku Water Museum: description (2)
1.1 visitors/year, funding sources
- Yaku Receives 175.000 visitors each year
- Yaku has the valuable support of the
Metropolitan Public Water and Sanitation
Company (EPMAPS)

7. - Every weekend: workshops
for diverse visitors
- Traveling exhibitions inside
and outside the Metropolitan
Area
Yaku Water Museum: description (3)
1.2 Main educational activities and other kind of strategic communication
- Educational guided tours
regarding Water and Nature
and Water and Society
- Activities regarding the Green
Calendar (International
Education Days of Water and
Earth.

8. - Mediated learning experiences
designed for specific audiences
- Complementary Artistic and
Academic Programming for
permanent exhibits
Yaku Water Museum: description (4)
1.2 Main educational activities and other kind of strategic communication
- Joint Educational Program
with the Metropolitan Public
Water and Sanitation
Company, with two main
goals:
• Responsible use of
drinking water
• Quality drinking water
care

9. Yaku Water Museum: description (5)
- 1.3 Future activities already planned (including exhibitions and education
activities for 2018-19)
- For 2018: Aquatic Life
Conservation Educational
Program which includes:
- A life-size plastic humpback
whale inside the building.
- Two inflatable domes for
audiovisual experiences on
environmental conservation
topics
- 360 degree interactive
audiovisual inmersive
experience, showing water life
forms around the world

10. Yaku Water Museum: description (6)
- 1.3 Future activities already planned (including exhibitions and education
activities for 2018-19)c
- Sensory artistic experiences on
water in its diverse states
- Areas for experimentation on the
physical and chemical properties
of water
- Exhibit interactive displays on
water and its role in nature
For 2019 is planned a new central
exhibit (Planeta Agua) wich includes:
- This exhibit will be located in six
water vaults from the old water
plant

11. Yaku Water Museum: description (7)
1.4 Weaknesses and Threats: aspects to be improved (related to your SWOT
Analysis)
Weaknesses
1. Lack of trained staff for
museology and specialized
guidance
2. Poor communication activities
3. Lack of processes and
procedures for visitors´services
4. Lack of a multiannual strategic
plan
5. Lack of a municipal
management system based in
well-established processes

12. 1. Instability in processes due to
the constant municipal
management changes
happening in the city.
2. Natural disaster risks. The
museum is located on a hill,
and in a highly volcanic and
seismic area.
3. The museum surroundings are
located in a low security area
and are difficult to access.
4. The public hiring bill/law is not
conceived for mass cultural
projects.
Yaku Water Museum: description (8)
1.4 Weaknesses and Threats: aspects to be improved (related to your SWOT
Analysis)
Threats

13. Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote
well-being for everybody at all ages
(Mediagua)
Goal 6: Ensure access to water and
sanitation for all (Mediagua and Yaku
viajero)
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable,
reliable, sustainable and modern energy
for all (Mediagua)
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable
consumption and production patterns
(Mediagua and Yaku Viajero)
Goal 15: Manage forests in a
sustainable way, fight desertification, stop
and reverse land degradation, put a halt
to biodiversity loss (Pumamaki and
Biota Máxima)
Yaku: Water and MDGs (1)
2.1 Topics/issues related to MDGs and sustainable water uses included
already in your Museum

14. Yaku: Water and MDGs (2)
2.2 Other possible topics related to MDGs which could be developed in the future
(also related to needs of staff training, educational publications, joint exhibitions, etc)
Goal 11: Create inclusive, safe,
resilient and sustainable cities.
Goal 13: Take urgent action to fight
climate change and its impacts
Goal 14: Preservation and
sustainable use of oceans, seas and
marine resources
Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and
inclusive societies
Goal 17: Revitalize the global
partnership for sustainable
development

15. 3.1 List the main activities that should be at the core of the Global Network of WA-MUs: How can
they be developed also by/in connection with your Museum?
Yaku: Global Network expectations (1)
• Share good practices regarding Water, Museums
and Education.
• Create joint visitors research programs and(e.g. to
measure progress regarding Sustainable
Development Goals) and museum professional
exchange programs.
• Create a common web site and a common database
of educational publications.
• Exchange specific case studies regarding common
problems and their solutions
• Create international routes for traveling exhibitions
• Create a common educational program integrating
outstanding professionals related to every museum
in Science, Society and Education by using live
activities allowing people to share from their home
countries.

16. 3.2 What can your Museum offer to the Global Network of WA-MUs: Staff training?
Support in designing new water museums? What is your best expertise which may be
used by the Network?
Yaku: Global Network expectations (2)
• Yaku can share significant educational
information related to mediated learning
experiences, encouraging dialogue
instead of imposed truths.
• Yaku has created successful
experiencies destined to promote critic
thinking (e.g. metodologies for cinema
forums, workshops, field trips)
• Yaku can support with experiencie in
working with contemporary art for
educational goals.
• Yaku can offer experiene in balancing
ancient traditional knowledge and
modern science with social and
educational purposes.

17. 3.3 What advantages may derive to your Museum by joining the Global Network of
WA-MUs (what are your needs in terms of training of personnel, etc. - or other
weaknesses highlighted in your SWOT analysis)
Yaku: Global Network expectations (3)
1. We need to improve the
training of our staff for
museology and specialized
guidance
2. We need enrichment
programs for our
Communicational plans
3. We need to strengthen our
strategic planification and
create multiannual programs
4. We need to improve our
relations with diverse
communities (e.g. neighbors,
senior citizens, teenagers,
urban groups at risk

18. “The human right for
water is fundamental
and undeniable. Water
constitutes an
strategic national
heritage for public
use, imprescriptible,
unseized and
essential for life”
Ecuador’s
Constitution 2008

19. “As a Museum in Yaku we generate
positive social and personal
transformation; by high qualitiy
museological experiencies that
constitutes affective bonds and
interest about water and its relation
with nature and society”

20. In conclusion:
Yaku works every day to incentivate
citizens for water

21. Thank you