Inside Altos de Chavón, the Museo Arqueológico Regional holds one of the most important collections of pre-Columbian Taíno artifacts in the Caribbean. The collection was assembled largely by Samuel Pion, a Dominican artist and archaeologist, and includes ceramics, tools, and the carved stone figures — zemís — that played a central role in Taíno spiritual life. The centrepiece is an extensive collection of duhos, the carved wooden ceremonial seats used by Taíno chieftains.
The museum is compact but well-organised, and provides genuine context for the history of the island before Columbus. Labels are in Spanish and English. Entry is included if you are visiting Altos de Chavón and makes for a good 30-minute complement to walking the village streets.