Concepción: Museo Misional and Nature

The topics related to Concepción span different geographic levels: Museo Misional is located in the town, Laguna Represa Zapocó in the municipality, and the Valles Cruceños in the wider Santa Cruz destination. If you are looking for a hotel in Concepción, this distinction helps separate local and regional highlights.

Culture in Concepción and Santa Rita

Museo Misional is on the south side of Concepción’s main square, in the birthplace of Hugo Bánzer Suárez. Photographs and memorabilia relating to him are kept in a room to the right of the restoration workshop. The museum entrance is past the workshop. This makes it easy to locate the building in relation to the square and understand the history of the house and the route through the building.

A report dated November 27, 2024, describes the “Mamas Chiquitanas” in the Chiquitano community of Santa Rita, 10 km from the urban area of Concepción: they share knowledge about textile work and weaving techniques. If you would like to learn about this knowledge on site, check whether a visit is currently possible before making plans.

Laguna Represa Zapocó in the Municipality

Laguna Represa Zapocó is a municipal protected area in the Municipality of Concepción and covers 1,946 hectares. The protected area was established in 2007 by Ordinance No. 035/2007.

Natural landscapes in the wider Santa Cruz destination

The Valles Cruceños cover around 13,000 km² and lie at elevations between 1,200 and 2,000 meters. They include the provinces of Florida, Vallegrande, and Caballero in the Department of Santa Cruz.

The Área Protegida de los Valles Cruceños is reported to be home to 374 bird species, including the endemic red-fronted macaw and the Andean condor. The number of species may change as more research is conducted. The Valles Cruceños are also home to inter-Andean dry forest, Bolivian-Tucuman forest, Chaco serrano, subtropical humid forest, and Puna vegetation.

Chiquitano culture and natural areas

Chiquitano culture is also part of the cultural context of the wider Santa Cruz destination. It developed mainly in Chiquitanía in the Department of Santa Cruz and combines Indigenous Chiquitano traditions with Jesuit influence, introduced in the 17th and 18th centuries. This broader context complements the specific focus on Museo Misional and the sharing of knowledge in Santa Rita, without equating the different places.

Viable populations of numerous globally endangered or threatened vertebrate species live in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in the Santa Cruz destination. Information about the status of these populations may change over time. The park includes evergreen rainforests, palm forests, Cerrado, wetlands, savannas, gallery forests, and semi-evergreen dry forests. The natural highlights differ: the Valles Cruceños focus on bird species and vegetation, while Noel Kempff Mercado National Park showcases a diversity of habitats.

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