Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and personable. She took us through the history of emeralds, how they are processed, how they are graded and the ways in which they are incorporated into jewelry. The tour was just with my travel companion and I, so there was time to ask questions and the pace of the tour was one that we set. When we arrived the location was relatively un-cluttered, but while we were there a group from a cruise ship arrived and things got compressed. In the end, there is a jewelry showroom with strong retail offerings at a wide variety of price points. So there is an element to the tour that is a calculated expense to connect with visitors to drive sales. But, that reality did not feel pushy, high pressured, or gratuitous. This is a great use of an hour (or more if shipping ensues) and a reason to see the downtown area of Cartagena. The location is secure and well air conditioned. It is accessible for those that cannot walk.

Great overview of understanding emeralds in Columbia and how they are mined and polished. A great learning opportunity for stone and jewellery lovers! You enter the museum and get a tour of the emerald process and see various types of emeralds in their raw and polished forms. Afterwards you are given the opportunity to browse the available stones (in gold and silver) and can decide if you would like to buy or not. There is no pressure to buy which is nice ! Our tour was in English and our tour guide George was great. They are ready to answer all your questions. If you decide to buy they resize your ring for free and prepare all the paperwork needed for tax recollection (if you are foreign). Definitely recommend visiting !

I stumbled upon the museum although I had received recommendations. While walking down the street I was asked if I wanted to come in for a free tour. The museum was much smaller than I expected, but still contained very interesting information. Our guide was bilingual which helped as my Spanish is meh. I did end up purchasing a ring at the end of the tour. There were various price points for the jewelry. The staff were very accommodating. After my purchase, they offered my group beers and coffee. I even took home some pieces of raw emerald in addition to my purchase.