Bloemhof is one of the smaller plantations on the island. It has been bought and sold frequently throughout the centuries, but for almost a hundred years it has been in the hands of one Curaçao family. In 1919 Emma Maduro-Lopez Penha bought Landhuis Bloemhof and its seven acres of ground. The house was used as a family retreat and vacation home.
The archives of the property have been well preserved and show that it was first sold in 1735, thus making the core of the building at least 270 years old. (The date of the original construction is unknown.) Subsequent purchase deeds and inventory lists tell us more about its history and that of Curaçao.

Being a small plantation, Bloemhof was never of much importance in terms of agriculture or the production of food crops. Early on, the ‘crop’ of the plantation was water. With the use of two dams, several wells and bàkis (cisterns), it was easy to collect and hold enough water to sell in Willemstad to the townspeople.

In the last 50 years things changed and Bloemhof became a meeting place especially for those who love art, literature, theater and culture in its broadest sense. In 2001, the family renovated and restored the property, taking great care to maintain its old rustic charm. Only the bare minimum was changed or altered in this mayor fix-up. Opened in March 2002 as a homage to the late May and Max Henriquez, Bloemhof now functions according to a new concept – a center for the arts, creativity, and history – where activities focus on the personal development and well being of creative individuals of all ages.

We welcome visitors and students at Landhuis Bloemhof, a historical setting which houses a gallery, a library, a workshop area, a sculpture garden and a permanent exhibition in the Studio of May Henriquez.

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