The Escuela Normal “Juan Ignacio Gorriti” opened its doors to the public as part of the Noche de los Museos event on November 28. The school, located in central San Salvador de Jujuy, showcased more than 140 years of educational, cultural, and institutional heritage.
Valeria Macías, a member of the Chair of History of Argentine and Latin American Education (FHyCS–UNJu), said: “In the context of a research project aimed at reconstructing the history of the Escuela Normal, a valuable documentary collection was found that was exhibited in various rooms for visitors.” She added that the exhibition traced the institution’s trajectory from its founding in 1884 to today.
The display included audiovisual materials and an old slate chalkboard made from stone and wood, which represents early normal schools. Foundational documents signed by Juanita Stevens were also presented; these papers officially named the institution “Juan Ignacio Gorriti.” The collection featured old curricula, lesson plans used by teachers in 1885, and historically significant correspondence.
The exhibition recreated Juanita Stevens’s original office as well as classrooms for younger students displaying Froebelian and Montessori teaching materials.
School administrators, teachers, students, and families attended the event. Activities included art displays, live music performances, guided tours, and other exhibitions. According to organizers, this initiative not only shared the school’s heritage but also celebrated “the deep sense of identity and belonging that characterizes the normalista community.”
