The mansion was designed by architect Carlos Arturo Tapias and originally intended to be a station for the Bogotá-Girardot railway.
The hotel was once widely rumored to be haunted, contributing to its nickname as the 'Hotel of the Suicides.'
The building's restoration prioritized preserving the original aesthetic while adapting spaces for environmental education.
The waterfall is formed by the Bogotá River as it drops into a deep, rocky canyon.
The site is part of the Tequendama Falls Natural Area, which hosts significant cloud forest biodiversity.
The museum serves as an headquarters for the Institute of Natural Sciences to monitor river quality.
The Tequendama Falls Museum, known locally as Casa Museo Salto de Tequendama, is housed in a former luxury hotel constructed in 1923 in the French architectural style. Perched directly on the edge of a cliff, the structure offers a direct vantage point of the 157-meter Tequendama waterfall. Originally serving as the 'El Hotel del Salto,' it functioned as a grand destination for Colombia’s elite before closing in the 1990s due to extreme pollution of the Bogotá River. The building was restored and reopened as a museum by the Ecological Farm Foundation of El Porvenir to focus on biodiversity and environmental conservation. The interior features historic architectural elements, period furniture, and exhibits detailing the history of the site and the surrounding ecosystem. Visitors can explore multiple levels, including a terrace that overlooks the gorge and the waterfall. It currently serves as a center for cultural activities and ecological research within the Cundinamarca region.
The terrace on the ground level provides the most stable and unobstructed view of the waterfall and the cliffside mansion.
Bring a light jacket as the temperature drops significantly near the waterfall and at this high altitude.
Wear non-slip footwear as the mist from the falls can make exterior observation areas damp.
Carry a camera with a weather-sealed lens to protect against high humidity and spray.
Do not attempt to hike down the cliffs to the river base, as the area is restricted and potentially hazardous due to river pollution.
Closed on Mondays and some Tuesdays; typically remains open on weekends and holidays.
Stay within designated viewing areas, as cliff edges are steep and can be unstable.
