When traveling in Peru, don’t miss an opportunity to visit any of the following fantastic museums!
Peru is a country that is deeply steeped in history and complex culture. While the amazing landscapes and tranquil countryside’s are a huge attraction when traveling through Peru, there are a number of excellent museums you can visit to learn a bit more about the ancient and recent past, as well as the people who have called this country home.
While Lima is a cultural hub and home to some of Peru’s most well-known museums, there are a couple in other parts of the country that are worth a visit if you have the chance. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 museums to visit while traveling in Peru.
1. Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), Lima
MALI, located in Lima central, is housed in the beautiful Palace of the Exhibition, a building that was built between 1870 and 1871 specifically for exhibitions. Today, the museum’s permanent collection offers a trip through time, starting with pre-Colombian art and covering approximately 3,000 years of Peruvian history to reach the present day. This is one of the most famous museums in Lima that you should definitely not miss!
2. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MAC) , Lima
Lima’s MAC is an incredible museum perfect for the lover of modern and contemporary art. The museum opened in 2013 and shows works by Peruvian and international artists from 1950 to the present day. It is a place where society and modern art can interact. Frederic Cooper designed the building, a prime example of contemporary art.
3. Museo Larco, Lima
The Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre boasts one of the most impressive and fascinating collections of Inca and pre-Inca artifacts, including an entire gallery devoted to erotic pottery from ancient times.
In addition to the ceramics, metalwork and textiles that belong to the permanent exhibits, the museum is home to beautiful gardens and an excellent on-site restaurant where you can taste some of the best dishes Peru has to offer.
READ ALSO: How Museo Larco Saved Peruvian History
4. Museo Mario Testino (MATE), Lima
MATE, in Barranco, offers a refreshing contemporary twist on Peruvian culture. This 2012-founded non-profit museum preserves Peru’s cultural heritage and promotes its artistic future. Besides the permanent expositions featuring Testino’s famous photographs, the museum often displays the works of up-and-coming Peruvian artists.
5. Museo Amano, Lima
Originally opened in 1964 by Mr. Yoshitaro Amano, Museo Amano started as a compilation of objects and textiles that had been discarded by the tomb raiders of Peru’s many archaeological sites.
The recently renovated space houses one of the most impressive pre-Columbian textile and archeological exhibits. Indeed, the museum aims to conserve, study and teach Peru’s long history of textile tradition.
6. Lugar de La Memoria, La Tolerancia y La Inclusión Social (LUM), Lima
For those who are interested in Peru’s recent past, Lima’s LUM in Miraflores is a space that commemorates the internal conflict that occurred between the years of 1980 and 2000. In the museum, those two decades in Peruvian history are highlighted and how they shaped Peru today.
7. Monasterio de Santa Catalina, Arequipa
Stepping into the Monastery of Santa Catalina is like stepping into another world. The monastery was founded in 1579 and was mostly inhabited by Creole and mestizo nuns. It was not until 1964 that the first Spanish nuns arrived. With its bright walls and winding streets, this open-air museum feels like a separate city from Arequipa.
READ ALSO: 15 Most Beautiful Places in Peru — From Quaint Towns to Iconic Inca Sites
8. Museo de Arte Pre-Colombiano (MAP), Cusco
Built around an Inca ceremonial court, this MAP Cusco is housed in a colonial mansion and has about 450 interesting pieces from 1250 B.C. to 1532 A.D. They are spread out in 11 showrooms and were all carefully chosen from the Larco Museum in Lima’s storage.
9. Museo Inkariy, Sacred Valley
The Inkariy Museum is a project that was started in 2002 by a group of artists and archaeologists who wanted to share Peru’s impressive pre-Colombian cultures with the world. This museum is great for adults and children alike, as the exhibits include modern language and easy-to-read texts. Moreover, this museum aims to emphasize the diversity of pre-Colombian cultures and show more than just the famous Incas. This museum has many halls with displays about the Inca culture as well as the cultures of the Moche, Masca, Wari, Lambayeque, and Chimú.
10. Choco Museo, Cusco / Lima / Ollantaytambo / Pisac
If you are traveling with children, a trip to the Choco Museum is sure to be a fun activity. The interactive cacao and chocolate museum is free, but the Choco Museum offers chocolate workshops where you can learn about the ingredients and process of making your favorite sweet treat. While Peru isn’t known for its chocolate, it is an important exporter of cacao. At the Choco Museum you can learn all about how cacao is grown, harvested and ultimately used to make chocolate.
Peru is an incredibly diverse country with a fascinating history. A great way to learn a bit more about the cultures that have inhabited Peru is by visiting one or more of the many museums you’ll encounter on your journey.
