WILLEMSTAD – Museums in Curaçao and the Dutch Caribbean face a growing challenge: how to better portray the region’s colonial past and diverse cultural identity. Heritage specialist Dyonna Benett is calling for a more integrated approach that includes both Black and white perspectives, arguing that the current museum landscape still reflects deep societal divisions rooted in colonialism and slavery. 

“In order to get the full story, you currently have to go museum-hopping,” Benett said in an interview with Cultuurkrant, highlighting the fragmented way history is presented across the island. 

Benett, who is of Curaçaoan and Dominican descent, shared that during her studies in Cultural Heritage in Europe, she often felt underrepresented in museums. Since moving to Curaçao two years ago, she has observed a sharp contrast between “white-centered museums” typically located in the city, focusing on colonial figures like Michiel de Ruyter and Peter Stuyvesant, and “Black-centered museums” often found in rural areas, which highlight Afro-Curaçaoan stories such as that of freedom fighter Tula. 

She argues that this divide is a direct legacy of colonialism and slavery, which still shapes social dynamics in Curaçao today. “Communities often live side by side but remain divided by color, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and class,” said Benett. “These dividing lines are clearly reflected in the way museums tell their stories.” 

One museum that succeeded in bridging these perspectives, according to Benett, was the Savonet Museum, where narratives from descendants of the enslaved were presented alongside portraits of slaveholders and the ideologies that justified their actions. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints and staffing shortages, the museum's original balanced approach has eroded in recent years. 

Benett also noted the lack of a structural museum policy on the island. “In many cases, there is only one person running an entire museum, whereas in the Netherlands, you would have separate departments for education and collections management.” 

Despite these challenges, she sees hopeful signs. Museums are increasingly collaborating with institutions on other islands and in the Netherlands, and new funding opportunities—such as those tied to the Slavery Commemoration Year—are opening doors for greater education and representation. 

Benett believes the government has a crucial role to play in sustaining this progress. “With more staff and consistent support, museums could become more engaging and relevant to the Curaçaoan community.” She advocates for initiatives such as internship programs and accessible grant schemes to help drive that change forward.