Part historic home, part mansion, this modernized museum is a hidden gem in downtown Oranjestad, worth visiting even if you're just looking for a place to cool off. The new building housing the museum combines a mansion built in 1929 with a cunucu ("country") house from 1870, built by the grandparents of Aruban World War II hero Boy Ecury, who lived there in the 1920s and 30s. History buffs will love the way the museum is curated, with interactive exhibits highlighting over 5,000 years of Amerindian culture. Everyone else will like the fact that the exhibits offer easy explanations in English of the country's culture and artifacts. After all, it's kind of nice learning a thing or two about the history of the country you're visiting, in between dining and visiting the beach—plus, it's free.