Museo de la Historia de Ponce (53 Calle Isabel, corner of Calle Mayor, 787/844-7071 or 787/842-7042, Tues.–Sun. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., free) is more than just a monument to the city’s history. Its construction served to preserve and adapt two historic neoclassical homes, Casa Salazar and Casa Zapater, and thanks to the addition in 1998 of the Ernesto Ramos Antonini auditorium, it is a cultural center for the local arts community.
Permanent exhibits focus on ecology, pre-Hispanic times, politics, economic development, and architecture. Wall text and information are in Spanish only.