Located half a block south of Iglesia de San Francisco, La Galería (tel. 505/8419-3519, 505/2713-7763, open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri., donations accepted, call ahead if other times are needed for groups and speak to Guellermina “Mina” Meza) is only one of the projects of the Association of Mothers of Heroes and Martyrs of Estelí, a support group of 300 women who lost children during the battle against Somoza’s National Guard. The museum also offers Spanish classes for individuals or for families.

The gallery itself is a single room in what was once one of Somoza’s jails, filled with memorabilia from the days of the revolution—photos of Estelí as an urban battleground, quotes from Sandino and Che Guevara, weaponry and shell casings, and portraits of young men and women killed in action, sometimes accompanied by uniforms and other personal effects.

Connected to the Galería, you’ll find the less powerful, but still interesting Museo de Historia y Arqueología (open 9 a.m.–noon Mon.–Fri., closed Wed.), with a small display of petroglyphs, artifacts, and revolutionary photos.

Still in the same building, on the south side, the Casa de Cultura offers a series of music, art, and dance classes to the public; the Casa also often has a display of local artists in its spacious lobby. The entire block used to belong to a prominent Estelíano family before it was confiscated by the Sandinistas.