Museo Del Acero, Monterey, Mexico

Dominating the Monterrey skyline, Blast Furnace No. 3 is one of the most recognizable icons of the Mexican metropolis, symbolizing the importance industry plays in Monterrey’s past, present and future. The future of the crumbling structure was seriously threatened until the Museo del Acero (Museum of Steel) envisioned it as a place to provide a fun and educational environment for families and children to discover steelmaking history and technology in Mexico.

To make this vision a reality, AldrichPears Associates worked in collaboration with the steel industry and museum staff to develop a unique and engaging experience that introduces visitors to the importance of steelmaking in Mexico and the science behind this most important material. The restoration of the blast furnace posed an interesting challenge and APA worked closely with architects, local advisors and consultants to find solutions.

The interpretive objectives of the Museo del Acero are to tell the century-old story of steelmaking in Mexico and explain the processes of making iron and steel. The project objectives included creating such a powerful signature experience for the Monterrey region that it would be a must-visit facility and be able to be fully self-supporting. To achieve this the Museo del Acero is many things in a big and impressive package: huge industrial heritage site, history museum, science center, spectacular show, and last but not least, a thrill ride up to the top of the furnace structure in the track of the old ore cars.

APA is working on this with TAA members Randy Ormston of Vista Collaborative Arts (vista-arts.com) and Doug Welch of CD/M2 Lightworks Corp.(cdm2lightworks.com). The production team includes firms in Canada, the US and Mexico. There will be a soft opening in July and a formal opening in September.

aldrichpears.com