Aruba is an amazing island of diversity and contrasts and so it is with the arts.  The Aruban artist conveys a complex background of experiences, articulated through country landscapes as well as in avant garde artwork, bold in color and often imbued with a strong message.  Literature in the native Papiamento language is flecked by nostalgia but speaks of a modern spirit.  Music weaves a multi-cultural background into a rapid rhythm of melodic content; dance ranges from quaint retelling of a folkloric past to experimental, unfettered contemporary movements.

Art galleries provide a mirror through which to gain a deeper understanding of the island and its people.  Works in both abstract and concrete form, sometimes accompanied by poetry and commentary, shed light on contemporary life.

Museums provide visitors with vivid views of the island's many cultural influences and insight into its unique identity; they reflect the lifetime passions of ardent collectors, historians and archaeologists.  Unexpected finds reveal ancient cultures, a rich colonial past, and even a story retold through monetary tender.