The Patiño Foundation
THE PATIÑO FOUNDATION
Simón I. Patiño was South America’s most influential industrialist of his or any previous generation.
In 1931, he established the Simón I. Patiño University Foundation, which promotes access to excellent education through the awarding of scholarships. In 1958, his heirs continued his legacy by establishing the current Foundation, based in Geneva and operating in Bolivia. It operates in key areas to improve the living conditions of Bolivians: education, scientific and agricultural research, healthcare, and culture.
CULTURAL TOURISM STRATEGY
Today, the Simón I. Patiño Foundation aims to expand its cultural outreach to spread awareness of the foundation’s values, contextualize the entrepreneurial history of the Patiño family, and engage in collective discussions on central topics related to Bolivia’s development.
France Muséums had the opportunity to support the Patiño Foundation in the global promotion of its cultural heritage. Three of its iconic sites, located in La Paz and Cochabamba, which stand as exceptional witnesses to Bolivian history and unique models of eclecticism, were the subject of a comprehensive strategic study. This study led to the creation of various scenographic universes, designed with a focus on the visitor, their needs, and their overall experience.
France Muséums team has worked on the storytelling and overall guiding theme of the experience offered on each site. They have suggested a substantial reorganization of spaces to provide visitors with a coherent and immersive experience.
CREATING A TOURISM AND CULTURAL PROGRAMME
The assessment carried out by France Muséums in 2022-2023 therefore enabled an overview of the current situation to be drawn up and preliminary recommendations to be made. In 2024, building on this work, the Patiño Foundation commissioned France Muséums to draw up a comprehensive Tourism and Cultural Programme (TCP) for two of the Fundación Patiño’s emblematic sites in Cochabamba, Bolivia: Portales Palace and Villa Albina.
The aim of transforming these sites into dynamic cultural centres is to attract local and international visitors and position them as genuine showcases for the Patiño Foundation and the country.
This tourism and cultural programme provide an opportunity to:
- Define the unique cultural identity and storylines of the museum itineraries at the Palacio Portales and Villa Albina.
- Reinvent the visitor experience and improve engagement with the collections, sites and history
- Promoting artistic innovation and new forms of cultural and social experience
- Creating a welcoming environment for all
- Strengthen links with the surrounding communities
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